


To Own the Night

by TimeLadyoftheSith



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Blood Drinking, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Magical Creatures, Other, Smut, Vampire AU, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-05-01 01:34:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 51,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14509608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimeLadyoftheSith/pseuds/TimeLadyoftheSith
Summary: Rose Tyler is a vampire who has found a way to live life as normal as possible in the twenty-first century. Yet, she’s lonely, and even though she’s found some friends in a local “supe” bar, she misses having someone in her home. Doctor James Smith, a chemistry professor, finds an amusing ad posted on a bar notice board for a room to lease. He answers, not knowing that his nocturnal housemate is something his logical mind could never have accepted was real.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rose_Nebula](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Nebula/gifts).



The small bar was packed, which normally wasn’t a bad thing. Rose loved her part time job at Torchwood, but Jack never asked her to work on short notice. She could have said no, should have really, but he was one of her only friends. He hadn’t known this crappy band had such a fan base when he booked them. It wasn’t his fault that she hadn’t eaten, or that the humans outnumbered the others. She could control herself, of course. She wasn’t a newborn. Just, the brunette girl that was sipping the sex on the beach she’d just ordered was a virgin. Rose could smell it, and it made her gums tingle.    
  
“Stop staring at her.” Jack’s whispered voice was followed up with a smack to her arse. Rose yipped in surprise, turning away blinking. “I mean she is hot, but I didn’t know you swung that way.” His blue eyes were teasing as they pulled down a bottle of tequila.    
  
“Yeah well, I missed dinner to come in and she’s a virgin.” Rose hissed, before taking a deep breath. The musky aroma of his were blood helped override the rich aroma of the girl who had wandered off. Blood was blood, but weres were too hot and bitter to be tempting food. It was like an overcooked steak, nutritional but not appetizing. They were great in bed though, or at least the one she’d been with thirty years ago was.   
  
“Virgin huh?” Jack snickered as he turned around and poured the shots out to the waiting groupies. “I prefer partners with more experience.” His trademark smile made the girls on the other side of the bar blush and giggle.    
  
“Well I wasn’t thinking about shagging her.” Rose snorted, poking him in the ribs as she moved to take an order for two beers. She shouldn’t have been thinking about her at all. She didn’t hunt, not anymore at least. Thanks to technology, she managed to find her meals quite easily, and they were always willing. She also made quite a living off of it. Rich businessmen liked pretty young blondes, and with a little glamouring she could easily make them forget they had paid her five hundred pounds to feed off of them and they’d think they’d had the shag of their life. Not that she actually did do anything with them, other than feed, because she didn’t, ever.    
  
“What’s with that flyer thing you put up?” Jack swiped some empty glasses off the bar, as Rose popped the top off the bottle of a cider to pass it to someone. “Out on the advertisement board? Why do you need a roommate? I know you’re not hard on money.”    
  
Rose had known he would ask. She just didn’t think it would be while they were working. “Just want some company is all.” It wasn’t technically a lie. It was hard to make friends when one can only go out after sunset and is two centuries old. “And, well, it’d be less conspicuous to the neighbors.” That was also true. The teenage girl next door had asked her why she only came out at night. She had told her it was because she worked night shifts, but she didn’t think the girl bought it.    
  
“What are you gonna do if a human.” He whispered the word, but Rose picked it up even over the sound of the band’s horrible music. “Wants to move in?”    
  
“Glamour them away.” Rose snorted, grabbing some cash off the bar and turning to put it in the till. Her stomach twitched as she caught a whiff of the girl again, who was now tucked under the arm of a blonde man that reeked of drugs. “Looks like we’ve got a sleeping beauty.” She warned Jack. It was their code for possible drugged drinks.    
  
“Gwen can!” Jack followed her gaze to the man, his eyes narrowing. Gwen was his pack’s second, and despite her slight size, Rose knew she could pack one hell of a wallop. “I’ll get-“   
  
Rose didn’t give him a chance. She turned back to the pair, leaning against the bar top and casually sliding the girl’s drink towards the guy. “Hey, There.” She caught his eyes as he looked at her, smiling seductively as she felt her will pour into his mind. “Why don’t you tell this pretty lady what you put in her drink.”    
  
“I, uh.” He swallowed, green irises going a bit glazed as he tried to resist Rose’s compulsion. He wouldn’t be able to though. “I didn’t put anything in it yet, but I was gonna put a sedative in it.” Immediately the girl jerked away from him, and Rose grabbed her arm before she could run.    
  
“Tell you what. You’re gonna take out all the money you have, ‘nd give it to my beautiful friend here.” He nodded sluggishly as he pulled it all out, Rose counted about fifty pounds. “Now, you’re going to leave, go find the nearest police officer, ‘nd turn yourself in for possession of drugs.” She flashed him her sweetest smile, keeping her rage and disgust in check so her fangs wouldn’t drop. “Doesn’ that sound lovely?” The man nodded, passing his money over, and disappeared into the crowd.    
  
“How did you do that?” The woman gasped, staring down at the money in her hand. “How did you know?”    
  
“Been around long enough to know the type.” Rose blinked to clear her mind and let the woman’s arm go. She tried not to breathe too deeply as she dumped the drink out and went to work remaking it. The woman had obviously been out dancing, and the smell of her sweat only intensified the sweet allure of her blood. “Here ya go, love. On the house.” She couldn’t keep the next sentence from coming out far more enticing than she intended. “What’s your name?”   
  
“Maggy.” The woman smiled, taking the drink and trying to slide some money towards Rose. “Take it, as thanks.” Her intense blue eyes were so genuinely sweet as they met hers. Rose leaned back over, pushing the money back, and she had to clench her teeth as Maggy’s eyes dropped to her breasts as the combined pressure of the corset and bar top made them press up.    
  
She had to breathe in again, so she’d have air to speak, and the blush that came to Maggy’s cheeks as her eyes shot back up to Rose’s made the air between them saturate with her shiver in hunger. “Maybe there’s some other way you can- fuck! Jack!” Rose yelped as the sting of silver bit into her bare shoulders where Jack had pressed a bar rag against her skin. She could feel her skin burning as she jerked away and resisted the urge to turn and hiss at him.   
  
“We’re always happy to help, Maggy.” Jack pushed the money back, nodding out to the crowd. “I think this is the last set, don’t wanna miss it.” Maggy must have realized she’d gotten Rose into trouble, because she bit her lip, tucked her head a bit, and hurried away into the crowd.    
  
“What the hell?” Rose shoved his hand and the rag wrapped silver away, brushing her hair over her shoulder to hide the burnt flesh while it healed.    
  
“You were enthralling her!” Jack hissed back, tucking the rag in his back pocket. “Two more seconds, and she’d have been hopping the bar.” He didn’t sound mad, just worried.    
  
Rose groaned as she ran her tongue over her gums, feeling the points of her fangs pressing for release. She hadn’t been enthralling the woman at all. Yeah, she had been about to suggest other ways of thanking her, but she had most definitely not been using any power to do it. “I was not.” She glanced at the clock, relieved to see that it was almost time for the last call. “I haven’t enthralled anyone in fifteen years.” Not since she discovered how easy it was to pose as an escort.    
  
“Sure looked like it.” Jack lifted her hair, running a finger over the now healed mark. “Sorry I silvered you.” Rose sighed at the heat of his fingers. Weres and shifters ran so much hotter than other species, and it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation on her skin. It almost reminded her of how the sun had once felt. He pulled away, sending out the signal for last call.    
  
Rose kept her breathing to a minimum as she worked to fill the last drinks. Maggy hadn’t returned to the bar, but others had, and the heady smell of racing pulses and lustful pheromones were strong as everyone vied for their final drinks. By the time everyone had tabbed out and left, it was well after three in the morning. She leaned against the wall and sighed, running a hand through her hair. She had gotten so used to daily feeding that she had nearly forgotten how even skipping one day could test her control.    
  
“Rosie.” Jack’s hot breath and musky scent made her open her eyes. “Do you need me to go back into the office with you?” His eyes were full of concern, as he lifted her chin with a finger.    
  
“No, ‘m fine.” She pushed him away, then groaned as she remembered what a big deal that was for him to offer. Supernatural creatures were insanely proud and to offer to feed her for the night was the equivalent of a human offering someone every penny in their bank account. “Thanks for offering though. Mind if I don’t stick around a clean up?”    
  
“Go eat.” Jack shook his head with a laugh, reaching over to pull out her pile of tips cash for the night. “Thanks for helping out tonight!”    
  
Rose flashed him a grateful smile, taking the money and heading back to the small office to grab her coat and purse. She technically didn’t need to wear it, as she didn’t feel the chill of oncoming autumn, but she’d get looks if she was seen out in just a corset and the tight skirt. She pushed the employee door open, stepping out into the night. If she hurried, she’d be able to find some drunk bloke stumbling around. She hated to do that, hated hunting in any form, but she was starving.    
  
“I didn’t get you in trouble did I?.” Rose froze, as the wind blew that sweet, teasing scent her way. She bit back a groan of desire as she turned to find Maggy standing near Jack’s car, looking a bit shy. “With your boss, I mean.”    
  
“No, uh, you didn’t.” Rose knew she should just keep right on walking towards her car. “Everything all right? Do you need me to call a cab or something?”    
  
“I um.” Maggy looked down at her shoes brushing her hair back. Rose could hear her heart pounding, thrumming an invitation into the night. Blimey she had forgotten how delicious virgins smelled, especially now that finding ones over eighteen was rare. “I don’t, uh, well, I just didn’t get your name, to thank you properly.”    
  
“Rose,” She offered Maggy a gentle smile. “You’ve never flirted with a girl before, have you?” Rose didn’t find women attractive, but she’d played the part enough over the last two hundred years to know just how to handle it. Maggy shook her head.    
  
“Didn’t even admit it to myself until a few weeks ago.” Maggy bit her lip, her eyes trailing over Rose’s body. “You’re just really pretty, and you helped me tonight. I thought-“    
  
“Need a ride home?” Rose could have slapped herself as she pulled the keys from her purse. Maggy, bless her innocent little heart, blushed even darker under the dim lights as she nodded. She hit the unlock button, opening the door for her. “Do you live alone?” How long had it been since she’d asked that question? She hated that she was doing this, knew she’d wake up tomorrow hating herself for what she was doing, but she couldn’t change what she was.    
  
“My cousin Janet lives with me, but she left with her boyfriend so she won’t be home.” Maggy buckled her seat belt, and Rose turned up the heat so the woman could warm up a bit. She glanced at the clock, knowing she only had two and a half hours to sunrise. Plenty of time. She followed Maggy’s directions, pulling up to a building of small flats.    
  
“Here we are.” Rose pulled into a space, putting the car in pack, and leaning over to touch Maggy’s jean clad knee as she smiled. She could feel her pulse through the material, and the delicious scent of her was filling the car.    
  
“Um, do you want to come in?” Oh the invitation had come without prompting, something that so rarely happened. Rose leaned over just a bit, brushing her nose against Maggy’s. The woman’s lips parted with a gasp, and Rose grazed her own against them. Back when she was made, her cold lips would have been a clear warning of what was coming, but these days people were so uneducated about it. She pulled back, waiting for Maggy to take the hint and run, but she just undid her seatbelt and licked her lips. “Guess so.”    
  
Rose had to contain herself, forcing her movements to be human speed as she got out, locked the door, and followed Maggy up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Since the invitation was already in place, it was so simple for her to step right inside. Her fangs were pressing against her gums in anticipation, her veins screaming for satisfaction. She shut the door behind her, stopping Maggy as she reached for the lights. “Firs’ time’s easier with them off.” She whispered pressing her lips to the woman’s warm neck. “Don’t be nervous.”   
  
“Rose.” Maggy’s voice was husky, and a bit hesitant as she tilted her head. “I should tell you, I’ve never even been with a guy.”    
  
“‘S all right, sweetie. You’ll enjoy it, promise.” Oh she would. They always did, which was why glamouring was a necessity when one let the human live. “Let’s move this to the bedroom, hmm?” Rose followed her words up with another kiss to her neck, savoring the taste of her warm skin. She wouldn’t feed there though, too obvious in today’s clothing choices.    
  
Maggy sighed, reaching back to take Rose’s hand as she led the way through the dark flat. Well, Rose could see the way perfectly, given her enhanced sight, and as soon as Maggy closed the bedroom door behind them, she took her face in her hands and caught her lips in a kiss. She could taste the arousal building in her body, and she groaned as she pulled her in. Slowly, she pushed her shirt up, smiling at the way Maggy shivered at her touch, completely oblivious to what she was, and she tossed it over her shoulder. “Your turn.” Her warm fingers went around to the laces of the corset but Rose stopped her.    
  
“No, sweetheart. This is all about you first.” Rose pulled away, turning her and pushing her back to the sheets. She leaned over her, kissing her way down her neck as she worked the belt loose and then the opening of her jeans. Maggy was gasping eagerly now, her fingers tangling in Rose’s hair as she laved her tongue along her hip bones. With deft hands, Rose pulled Maggy’s shoes off, then her pants and knickers. “You still sure?” She queried, resting herself between her legs, letting her tongue seek out the area where her blood flowed the most freely under the skin.    
  
“Yes!” Maggy arched at the sensation, and Rose could hear and smell just how much she enjoyed the contact. Smiling at her unimaginable luck, Rose let her fangs finally break through the gums. She made the bite swift and exact, two centuries of expertise making the contact painless for Maggy and intoxicating for herself. She knew the endorphins in her saliva would be coursing through the woman’s veins, giving her just as much pleasure as actual sexual contact would, and Maggy’s cry of pleasure mixed with her moan of delight as her sweet blood coated her tongue.    
  
Now Rose felt her body respond, the tantalizing taste of virginal blood sending delicious warmth into her veins as she drank. She kept her control though, drinking deeply and slowly, as Maggy gasped and writhed under her in delight. It was such a treat, such a gift to taste something so pure and innocently given, that Rose wanted to thank her. She moved her hand, sliding it up her thigh, finding that sensitive bud. With a deep suck, she gave a circular press, and groaned as Maggy cried out her name and arched off the bed. Both of their needs sated, Rose bit down on her own tongue, had enough to draw blood, and laved it across the tiny puncture marks. By the time Maggy woke up, they’d look like healed over bug bites and nothing more.    
  
Maggy was still panting as Rose sheathed her fangs, head spinning from her meal, and crawled up her body. She reached over, turninf on the lamp, and touched her cheek softly. “Look at me.” Maggy’s eyes drifted open, hazy with their satisfaction. “Did you enjoy that, sweetie?” She smiled and nodded. “Good, now, listen very carefully.” She held her gaze, letting her will pour out into her mind. “I didn’t come home with you, okay. You didn’t meet me at all. A redheaded woman came home with you, and you both had a wonderful night, but she left without giving you her name.” She watched as the woman nodded, her teeth pulling at her lips. “Now, you’re very tired and will sleep until noon as soon as I close my eyes.” Rose let her eyes flutter shut, sighing as Maggy relaxed against the sheets and gave a soft whimper of contentment. “Thank you for your gift.”    
  
Turning off the light, Rose hurried back out to her car. She could feel Dawn creeping closer, and that combined with the warm sweet meal in her belly, she was growing tired herself. She would feel guilty in at sundown, as she always did when she fed on someone so sweet and naive, but for now she was riding her own personal high, as she licked what was left of the blood from her lips.   
  



	2. Chapter 2

James sighed as he dug in his pockets. He could have sworn he had grabbed the house keys off the dresser, but apparently not. He had kept his old ones on the ring for his car and work, but in the eight months he’d been living with Jack, he just hadn’t gotten around to it. It wasn’t his house, so it felt weird having them there. His small house had gone to his ex, like the majority of his savings had gone to pay his crappy lawyer.    
  
Glancing at his watch, he growled. It was quarter to seven, so Jack would be at his bar already. James knew where it was, even though he’d never been inside before. Bars weren’t really his thing, never had been, though he did use to enjoy going down to the pub for drinks when a match was on. He headed back to his car, fighting through the traffic to get to Torchwood. He’d never understand how Jack made so much money when his bar was set on the outskirts of a sort of industrial section. When he’d asked before, his friend had simply said his patrons preferred avoiding the normal areas.    
  
The door was opened, as he pulled into the parking area across the street. Gwen, one of Jack’s friends, was leaning against the wall holding her phone. She looked up as he approached and smiled. “Well look who finally decided to grace us with his presence.”    
  
“Hey Gwen. Jack inside?” James reached down to pull out his wallet, spotting the cover charge sign.    
  
“Jack’ll kill me if I charge you.” She laughed, taking his arm and fastening a wristband onto him. It was the first time she’d ever touched him, and he was surprised that she was a heated to the touch as Jack was. “He’s stocking the bar.” Her eyes drifted past his shoulder in the dimming sunlight. “Head on in.”    
  
“Thanks.” James smiled at her, stepping into the small entry way that had a cork board with various fliers. He paused to look them over, curious about what would be advertised in a bar. There was one for a ‘full moon run group’, a half off sale at some wiccan shop, and a few band posters. To his surprise, there was a room for lease poster.    
  
**Room for lease** **  
** **Must be eighteen or older** **  
** **Current resident is nocturnal** **  
** **Must keep all silver out of main living areas.** **  
** **Must provide and cook own food** **  
** **Must pay half of utilities** **  
** **Call Rose anytime, but preferably between sunset and sunrise.** **  
**   
James chuckled to himself, pulling the flier down and rereading it as he crossed the empty floor to the bar. He loved his best friend, but living with Jack wasn’t exactly easy. Even though Jack worked nights, his friend would sometimes come in leaving muddy prints all over the floor, and there were a few times they looked bloody. Not to mention walking in and finding random naked men or women in the kitchen at six am was a bit uncomfortable. He’d been looking to move out, but he hadn’t found anywhere yet that he could set up his lab stuff.    
  
“Hey Doctor!” Jack’s voice made him look up from the phone number listed on the paper, and how he had just realized there was a drop of red in the corner of the page. His friend had just sat down a huge tray of glasses and was unpacking them. “What’s up?”   
  
“I locked myself out.” James sighed, but before he could blink a pint of his favorite beer was on the bar top. “Thanks.” He was in the mood for a beer, but he was also hungry as he hadn’t eaten since his lunch break between classes. “Could I borrow your key to let myself in?”    
  
“Yeah!” Jack pulled out his own key ring, flipping through them until he wriggled one off. “But you have to finish your beer first. You never get out of the house.”    
  
“No chance you’ve got any food back there?” James joked, but to his surprise a man he didn’t recognize came walking out with some boxes of pizza. The various people wiping tables down and testing the sound system came ambling over. Jack passed him a napkin with two slices.    
  
“Do now. Thanks Bryan.” Jack clapped the man on the shoulder. “Why do you have Rose’s flier?” He pointed at the paper James had his elbow resting on. “You moving out?” His friend didn’t seem upset, just curious. “Why?”   
  
“Jack, there was a naked woman with a fox tail butt plug making coffee in the kitchen this morning.” James arched his eyebrow, doing his best not to recall the image. The girl had been pretty, but that wasn’t something he wanted to see when he was half awake at six am in his boxers. He took a bite of his pizza while shaking his head.   
  
“Sorry.” Jack chuckled, not looking a bit sorry at all. “I told her to stay in the room.” He nodded at the paper again. “Rose is a good person.” One of the other workers, a woman with teal blue hair, snorted at that. “Knock it off Miranda, she is. Just, not sure her lifestyle is cohesive with yours.”    
  
That piqued James’ curiosity, as Jack was constantly trying to introduce him to women. For him to not be lavishing praises on whoever this woman was made him at least want to meet her. “How do you know her?”   
  
“She tends bar few nights a week here.” Jack shrugged with a smile. “Occasionally covers for Gwen as bouncer too.”    
  
“She working tonight?” James finished off his first slice and picked up his beer. He knew most of the people who worked here, by name at least, but he’d never heard of this Rose at all.    
  
“No, thank the moon.” Miranda rolled her eyes, but a sharp look from Jack had her scurrying away to finish sweeping.    
  
“I know that look, Doc.” Jack pulled out a rag from under the bar and set it next to his drink. James tried to look as innocent as possible. It wasn’t his fault his scientific mind was curious about a woman it was obvious hadn’t given in to Jack’s charms. He had to meet her, see what was so different. “You’re my best friend, have been since I came back for my dad’s funeral ten years ago. Check out what she’s offering, but trust me, you aren’t gonna want to take the lease.” He unfolded the rag, revealing a silver ring. “Put this on, before you go.”   
  
“What is with your friends and silver?” James snorted. Jack refused to touch it, as did Gwen and some others who came over. Although, he knew for a fact Jack kept numerous silver necklaces and bracelets in the safe under his bed. He picked up the ring, sliding it onto his middle finger.    
  
“We all suffer from silver allergies.” Jack chuckled. “Finish your food, I’ve gotta refill the ice.” He disappeared into the back hall.    
  
James looked down at his watch. It was almost eight, which meant well pass sundown, so he pulled out his phone and dialed the number. After two rings, a woman’s voice picked up.    
  
“This is Rose.” It sounded as if she was driving, the rush of wind and cars echoing through the ear piece. “Who’s this?” She sounded pleasant, like she was in a good mood.   
  
“My name’s James Smith. I saw your flier at Torchwood bar. Is the room still available?” He tapped the bar lightly with his fingers, waiting for her response.    
  
“Yeah.” Rose sounded a bit surprised at his question. “Actually it’s the whole second story for lease. You read the requirements?”    
  
“Yep.” James smiled a bit, his curiosity blazing now. He wanted to ask why those requirements were in place, but he had a feeling she’d be as evasive as Jack was. “What’s the price to lease, besides what was listed?”    
  
“Nope.” Well that was surprising. James was about to ask why not, but Rose cut him off. “The house is paid off, so no need to charge rent. Did you want to come see it?”   
  
“When’s a good time for you?” He lifted his beer to his lips. She said she was nocturnal, so he assumed that mean night shift type of work. “Can be tonight or tomorrow.” It was Friday, so he didn’t have any classes to be up early for the next day.    
  
“Tonight’s fine. I’ll be home around midnight. I’ll text you the address.” There was the sound of beeping, like a car door opening. “I have to go. See ya at midnight.” The line went dead. James put his phone down, shaking his head. He finished off his pizza, looking around as one or two people began trickling in. His phone dinged, and checking it he found Rose had texted him an address on the other side of the city in an upper middleclass neighborhood.   
  
He loved to people watch, observing them with a scientific eye. Bars usually attracted people of like styles, but while Torchwood appeared to be more of a rough and tumble type place, there were a few business men filtering in, and even a few ladies in nice dresses. Everyone seemed to know each other in some way. He nursed his beer as he watched, and it didn’t take him long to note that as the crowd grew certain groups were drawn to each other. In almost each group, there seemed to be some sort of hierarchy of respect levels, regardless of how folks were dressed or looked.    
  
“Don’t stare, handsome.” Miranda, who seemed to be tending bar for the night, chuckled. “You’re gonna make them uncomfortable.” He looked up at her, arching an eyebrow as she had changed out of her jeans and tshirt into a low cut, cropped tank top and a short jean skirt. She had a few scars running across her abdomen, and a strange tattoo on her hips. For a moment, the light caught her eyes, making them glow yellow. “Need a refill?”    
  
“Nah. I’m good thanks.” James didn’t miss that coy smile playing at her lips as she asked, and he felt his cheeks flush as she chuckled. He hadn’t been flirted with in a while, as when he went out Jack was usually with him and drew everyone’s attention to him. Miranda wasn’t the kind of girl he’d flirt with anyways. Bad girls were not his type.     
  
Jack was busy, despite being the owner, carrying drinks out to some of the tables and chatting. James took note that everyone respected him, and not in that flirtatious style that he normally garnered. He jerked, as a woman who looked no older than seventeen slid onto the stool next to him. Her arms were bare, despite the cool night, and they had intricate ivy tattoos that almost seemed to glow against her tan skin. She shook her silver hair back, and the smell of jasmine, summer rain, fresh cut grass, and sandalwood wafted over him.    
  
“Usual, Säde?” Miranda was already pouring some green liquid mixed with some vodka that had berries on the label before the Säde even responded. “Here ya go.” James pretended to be admiring the crowd, but from the corner of his eye he saw Miranda point to her own eyes and nod in his direction. Säde giggled, and he must have imagined the air grow warmer, because it was normal again before he could blink, but the lovely fragrance was a bit stronger. When she turned to smile at him, he had to blink because she looked a bit older than before and her vine tattoos looked like normal ink now.    
  
“Hello. Never seen you around before.” Her voice had a strange accent, lilting like Irish, but with a bit of a burr to it as well. It was hard to describe, but James found it rather pleasant to listen to. “Mi’name’s Säde. What’s yours?” She held out a hand, her brown eyes sparkling a bit as if she was amused.    
  
“I’m Ja-“ before he could finish, Jack was suddenly beside them, staring at Säde with his arms crossed.    
  
“He’s the Doctor.” Jack growled, making Säde pout. James felt a bit confused, the perfume Säde was wearing made it a bit hard to focus. “That’s all you need to know. Finish your drink on the way out. That was strike three.”    
  
“Spoilsport!” Säde tossed her drink back, sliding off the stool and disappearing. With her gone, James found it was easier to focus, but he had a barely controllable urge to chase after her.    
  
“We were just talking.” He hummed, reaching for his beer as he scanned the crowd for that silver hair. He hadn’t noticed how pretty she was until she was gone. His hand closed around the handle of his pint, and it was like he was shocked. Gasping, he looked down to find his glass had been replaced with a metal stein.    
  
“Doctor, do me a favor. If anyone asks your name, just tell them you’re the Doctor.” Jack clapped his shoulder, but James saw him shoot Miranda a glower. She just smirked and made her way down to take more orders.    
  
“Got it. I’m the Doctor.” He shook his head as he lifted his stein. “Why’d she change my glass?”    
  
“Iron, it, well it makes the beer taste better. Drink up. Gotta go talk to Miranda.” Jack hopped over the bar, prowling towards her.    
  
James took a long drink, and he found that he felt more clear headed as he did. The bar was full now, and he looked down at his watch. It was already after eleven. How had he lost so much time? Shaking himself, he dropped a decent tip into the jar and snagged the flier from under his elbow. He waved at Jack to let him know he was leaving, and headed out to his car.    
  
The address Rose gave him was going to take about half an hour since he had to go through the heavy Friday evening traffic. Jack’s behavior at the bar when he was talking to that woman, now James couldn’t remember her name, had been odd. It took a lot to make him angry, but there had been no mistaking that he was mad about the conversation. What was so wrong about just exchanging names? Jack had been encouraging him to try flirting more, and he had. That was two women now that Jack didn’t want him talking to. Well, his friend wasn’t cutting in on the conversation he was about to have.    
  
He parked on the street in front of the house. It was a nice two story home, and judging by the way the height of the front stoop, there was probably a basement as well. He was ten minutes early, so he figured he’d wait before going up. However, a sleek black sedan pulled into the drive, and a woman got out. She had blonde hair that was just at her shoulders, styled in loose waves but pulled out of her face with a bow, a knee length pink vintage style dress, black and pink mary jane heels, and a pair of black tea gloves. She looked absolutely darling, and he didn’t understand why Jack had hinted that she wasn’t.   
  
James turned off his own car and stepped out. “Are you Rose?”    
  
“You must be James.” She smiled at him, a friendly sweet thing as her eyes drifted over him. He hadn’t been able to change out of the pinstripe suit he’d worn to class today. He noted she drew a deep breath as her eyes met his in the soft glow of the street lights. “Please, come on in.” He returned her smile as she started up the steps with her keys in hand.    
  



	3. Chapter 3

Rose set her small purse aside as she let James into her house. He smelled like he’d spent most of the evening at Torchwood, reeking of wolf and the scent of fae. Under all of that though, was the tinge of potion, like he’d spent the day brewing. She wasn’t sure who would respond to her advertisement, but she was okay with a wizard. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to change. I was going to when I got home from dinner.” She watched as he took in the downstairs portion of the house.   
  
He was handsome, tall and lithe like a runner. His brown hair was tousled to perfection, coming down in a pair of sideburns that brought out his proud cheekbones and jaw line, and a lean neck that would look very tempting if she hadn’t already fed. “Your house is very cozy.”   
  
Rose smiled at the compliment, as she didn’t normally have company over. Jack occasionally crashed in one of the spare bedrooms, and occasionally a ‘client’ would come over if they didn’t have the privacy needed. “Thanks, let me give you the tour.” She touched his arm lightly, guiding him out of the small entry hall to the living room. “We have all the channels,  and top of the line wifi. There’s a signal booster in every room.”   
  
“Have you read all of these?” James had wandered over to the two bookshelves that framed the wall beside the telly and window. He looked impressed as he scoured the titles.   
  
Rose would have blushed, if she was able to. “I have a lot of down time.” Two hundred years worth of course. “Kitchen’s in here. I have some food already stocked, but given my diet I always eat out.” James gave her a curious look that made her chuckle. “Just don’t open the jug on the bottom shelf. It’s my emergency drink.” She pushed open the door to the utility room that led to the back garden. “Washer and dryer and cleaning supplies.”   
  
“Noted.” Rose could tell, despite the calm demeanor, that James had a ton of questions. He wasn’t spewing them out yet, but that was fine. “So you said the entire second floor is for lease, but I didn’t see any bedrooms down here.”   
  
“I sleep in the basement.” Rose shrugged. It was the only light tight room in the house, although she had considered having steel shutters installed in the master bedroom. That would have drawn too many questions from neighbors though. “You can choose any of the bedrooms you want, but there’s only one bath usptairs. I use the one in my suite downstairs.”  
  
“That’s fine.” She led him back into the living room towards the stairs. “So Jack says you bartend a few nights a week.” Rose looked back at James, finding him watching her with that keen, inquisitive look she had come to associate with scientists over the years. “Is your other job night shift too?”   
  
Okay, he was cute, but coming off a little too hard on the ‘I’m totally okay with you being a vampire thing.’ She could play along with that though. “Yeah, I make my own schedule. Usually I work from eightish  to midnight. Occasionally I’m out til two or three. What about you?”   
  
“I teach advanced chemistry, at the university.” James offered with a slight shrug. “Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have morning and early afternoon classes. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have evening classes.”   
  
Rose let him see the three bedrooms upstairs. She had beds in two of them, but one just had a desk and a small filing cabinet where she kept track of her few bills and her bank accounts. “So your half of the utilities are probably going to run between a hundred and two hundred, depending on how much the electric goes with two people here now.”   
  
“Who said I liked it enough to stay?” James’ words were sarcastic, but the smile twitching at his lip and cocked eyebrow said he was teasing. “But I like it. No chance I’ll wake up at six am to find your naked boyfriend or girlfriend in the kitchen?”   
  
“I don’t date, so no chance.” Rose laughed at that, wondering just what kind of person he lived with that had that happening. “I don’t have to worry about it either right?” He was a good looking guy, so he probably had someone himself.   
  
“Nope. Haven’t dated since my divorce, and not really in the market to look right now.” James’ cheeks turned an adorable pink color as he tugged at his ear. “So no worries about that.”   
  
“When would you like to move in?” Rose nodded back down the stairs, leading him down. She had a spare key to the front door, but she’d much rather be awake when he showed up. It made her a bit nervous to have people walking in and out while she was sleeping. Yet, that was the risk she ran for a little bit of companionship.   
  
“Well, I don’t have a lot to move.” James did that ear tugging thing again, and Rose couldn’t help but smile at how adorable it was. “And I have to tell Jack I decided to move out. He won’t be upset, since he kinda already knows. Tomorrow sometime before he goes in to the bar.”  
  
“You live with Jack?” That surprised Rose. She didn’t know he had a roommate, but then again it explained a naked person in the kitchen at six am. “He’s never mentioned you before.” Then again, Rose hadn’t been to Jack’s house in a year. While he, Gwen, and a few other members didn’t mind her, the rest of pack regarded Rose with quiet disdain.   
  
“Yeah, just since my divorce went through.” James gave her a wry smile, before ruffling his hair. “As much as I appreciate what he’s done, I’m ready to get back on my feet again.”  
  
“Well, I know Jack’s lifestyle and trust me, there is no worry about it happening with me.” Rose crossed to the kitchen to grab the spare keys from a bowl of fake fruit she kept on the counter. She made her way back to James, setting them gently in his palm. “I’ll be asleep until just after sunset, so let yourself in. Jack knows better than to open the basement door.”   
  
“See you tomorrow night then.” James tucked the keys in his pocket, flashing her a broad smile that lit up his whole face. Again she noticed he was was gorgeous, the way he put his whole body into flashing that silly grin, but she shoved those thoughts aside. She knew better than to get caught up like that. Besides he knew what she was, and he didn’t give off the type of vibe that some of the more experimental type supes did.   
  
Rose shut the door behind him, stripping off her gloves as she made her way down to her basement suite to change out of her dress and heels. She had to admit she was a bit surprised that James wanted to stay. Witches and warlocks tended to avoid vampires, since they were essentially humans. Not that vampires would readily feed on one anyways. Their blood tasted just like a human, but could have some pretty wild side effects depending on what potions they had taken or where they got their magic from.   
  
She’d tasted one who had some undine ancestor, and it took two nights for her to stop hallucinating. It had been a dare at a party in the twenties, and he had thought it was hilarious when she kept saying everyone was covered in bubbles and diamonds. Rose had learned her lesson then. Still, the fact that one was willing to share a house with her was refreshing. James would probably bring some new amusing things to the house. As long as he didn’t screw up a potion and blow up the house, things would be fine.   
  
Slipping on a pair of pajamas, she flopped onto the bed and flipped on the telly. The American stock broker she’d met with had had some pretty rich blood, and the mental pun at that made her chuckle out loud. Then again, the more lush the diet the more succulent the human. That combined with coming off the intoxicating dinner she’d had with Maggy the night before had her feeling pretty relaxed and satiated. Relaxing and catching up on some shows was too tempting to pass up.   
  
Driving back to Jack’s house, James was feeling pretty good about his little chat with Rose. She seemed sweet, funny, and level headed. Why Jack thought they wouldn’t be able to mesh didn’t make sense to him. Still, there was something about her that was nagging at him. Usually he was good at picking up people’s cues. Hell, he’d been able to take one look at Reinette when she came home and knew immediately she had slept with someone else.   
  
In just the twenty minutes inside Rose’s home he’d been able to observe she was wearing makeup not just on her face, but also on where her arms and chest were exposed. It wasn’t blatantly obvious, but he could tell. She was analyzing him just as much as he was analyzing her, and she was also extremely lonely. It had been in her eyes. Her smile hadn’t quite reached them until he agreed to stay, and then her tongue touched her teeth and her eyes squinted just a bit. She was also confident, not in an arrogant way, but in the sense that she obviously knew who she was.   
  
He let himself in to the house, not locking it behind him because Jack wouldn’t be able to get in. Heading to his room, he stripped down, gathered what few dirty clothes he had, and carried them to the washer. He’d run the small load while he took a shower, so everything would be clean to pack in the morning. His mind, while focused on that task, was still trying to figure out what it had noticed about Rose that it couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t until he was halfway through washing his hair that it hit him.   
  
Rose had only seemed to be breathing when she needed to talk! No, that wasn’t possible. It must have been her dress that masked the rise and fall of her chest. She was pretty fit it seemed, and he knew that some professional runners and swimmers had less noticeable and fewer breaths than regular people, as their cardiovascular and respiratory systems were trained differently. That would also explain why she carried herself a bit differently too.   
  
Satisfied with that conclusion, he rinsed his hair and stepped out of the shower. It’d be nice if she was a runner. Maybe they could bond over a nighttime jog or something. Jack preferred to run with headphones in, but James liked to talk. He’d ask Rose about it tomorrow. Wrapping his towel around his hips, he flipped the clothes to the dryer and headed to his room. It was pressing two thirty now, and he’s been up since five. Curling up under his blanket, James was almost asleep before his head hit the pillow.   
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

“I honestly can’t believe she agreed to this.” Jack snorted, as James began unloading his suitcases out of the boot of the car. “Rose is insanely particular about who she lets into her life. What did you say to her to make her okay with this?”    
  
This had pretty much been the conversation since James had told him about the move. What did he and Rose talk about? Did James tell her what he did for a living? Had she acted off or weird about it? These were typical questions to ask a friend who had met a mutual one for the first time, but James felt that they were disguising a question Jack didn’t want to ask. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside the quiet house. “I didn’t say much. We just talked about how she doesn’t date and how I felt I was interfering with your mission to shag every willing person in the country.” He kept his voice low, not wanting to disturb Rose. It was only a little after three, and she said she’d be asleep.   
  
“No need to whisper.” Jack laughed, carrying in some of the bags of groceries James had bought on the way over. Jack had reinforced what Rose had said about a particular diet, and encouraged him to stock up on food unless he wanted to live on takeout for a few days. “She’ll be dead to the world until about an hour before sunset.” For some odd reason, Jack paused after his sentence and then started laughing.    
  
“What’s so funny?” James set the two suitcases near the stairs and headed back to the door as Jack set the bags on the counter.    
  
“Nothing, just,” He snorted and shook his head. “You’ll figure it out later.” James was halfway down the steps but he swore he heard Jack say “and then she’ll glamour you into forgetting.”    
  
“What was that?” James pulled his box with bedsheets and pillows out of his backseat. There was also a small box that Jack had insisted he take, which had an array of various plain silver necklaces and bracelets. He had learned over the ten years of knowing the man, not to ask about weird things like that. He never got a straight answer.    
  
“Nothing.” Jack grabbed the last few bags of groceries. “But seriously, you’re sure about this?”    
  
“Jack, yesterday was a fox tailed naked lady, and at five thirty this morning I met a man wearing wings and covered in glitter on my way to pee.” He arched an eyebrow at his friend and sighed. “There are some things that just can’t be unseen.”    
  
“You knew what I was like when you moved in.” Jack shrugged as he followed him inside. “Sort of.”    
  
“I’m an open minded guy.” James set the box down, heading into the kitchen to begin unpacking his food. “But judging by the looks on their faces, they didn’t expect to see me.” He opened the freezer, stopping as he found it completely empty. “Well that’s strange.” He carefully slid in some of the packaged food that needed to be frozen like ground beef and chicken.   
  
“Rose has a very peculiar diet, like she said.” Jack set the bags down and immediately went to work putting away the boxed and canned goods. “Only fresh food for her, expensive but fresh.”    
  
“Well then.” James closed the freezer, opening the fridge to put in his case of beer and stock his own fresh food, vegetables and fruit, but he had to blink again. The only contents here were some wine, unopened it appeared, a few bottles of soda, and a gallon jug filled with thick red liquid. “Okay, what?”    
  
“Just don’t ask.” Jack chuckled, passing him the package of bacon he was holding. “Seriously, because this isn’t my thing to explain.”    
  
James was tempted to pull out the jug and undo the cap to take a sniff, but Rose had said not to touch it. That wouldn’t be a good way to start a possible friendship. “Are any of your friends not giant mysteries?” He asked, carefully putting the food away.    
  
“None of them are mysteries.” Jack snorted, stuffing all the empty grocery bags together and tossing them into the space under the sink. “Just, not everyone lives in the realm of science that you do.” He began rifling through the other cabinets, pulling out things that should have been out but looked mostly untouched: toaster, coffee maker, tea kettle, and bread box. He had obviously been in Rose’s house before. “You really wanna figure it out?” James nodded, crossing his arms. He’d been trying to piece things together for a while now. “Try leaving the non fiction section of a library for a change.”    
  
“Of course I don’t get an answer.” James rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Thanks for helping me with all this. I should get this all upstairs.”    
  
“I gotta get to the bar and sign for some deliveries.” Jack gave him a half hug. “Gonna swing by tonight and have a drink?”    
  
“I might.” He shrugged. He had some tests to grade, but honestly he could take care of that tomorrow. “Depends on how well I get settled in here.” James grabbed his box of linens and nodded at the stairs.    
  
“Right, well. Tell Rose I said hey!” With one of his trademark roguish grins, Jack let himself out.    
  
James stared at the door for a second, shaking his head. Science and logic could explain almost everything, but sometimes it couldn’t explain Jack. He started up the stairs. He had about four hours to unpack, before sunset, and he wanted to make sure he was done before Rose woke up. He put his sheets on the bed in what appeared to be the largest bedroom. Then he carefully folding the ones he had taken off the bed. The dresser and closet were empty, except for some small taped up boxes that he moved to one of the other bedrooms, where he found more boxes.   
  
The boxes did catch his curiosity though, as each was labeled with a set of numbers. They appeared to be years, eighteen ten - eighteen thirty, eighteen forty - eighteen sixty, and so on until nineteen ninety - an undesignated time. That couldn’t be possible though, as it would be almost two hundred years worth of dates. They were probably some significance to Rose, but they couldn’t be dates. He added that to his mental list of questions to ask her.    
  
Once his drawers were full of every day clothes and his nicer clothes were hung up, and he’d taken his gradings into what was apparently the office room, James headed downstairs to fix himself some dinner. He’d had a late breakfast and skipped lunch. It was half an hour til sunset, and as he began learning where Rose’s immaculate dishes and like new pots and pans were, he heard stirring below his feet, and it sounded like a shower running.   
  
He was glad he had taken Jack’s advice and gotten everything one would need to stock a kitchen, because there was literally nothing in the pantry and cupboards, no spices or seasonings, or even cooling oil. There wasn’t even a secret stash of chocolate or cookies that most women kept. Rose’s diet must be extremely particular if she didn’t keep anything in the house at all. He had just settled at the table in the small dining area of the kitchen, with his shrimp and veggie stir fry, when he heard the basement door open.    
  
Rose had nearly forgotten that James was moving in when she began to wake. It had still been somewhat light out, but at her age and being well fed she was half awake as soon as sunset started. The sound of someone walking around upstairs, along with the noises of pots and pans, had startled her at first. Groaning, she had rolled over, picked up her phone, and checked to see if she had anybody on the menu for the evening. She had two possibilities, one offering her usual rate of six hundred pounds and another offering her a thousand. The latter had a list of conditions and could only meet during the day, so she had called the other one.    
  
His name was Brian, and he was a private jet pilot. He’d be free to meet at eight, at his hotel, and had requested she wear a demure looking dress but with something sexy and red underneath. She had a perfect black dress for that, and a sexy lace and leather corset with matching panties underneath. Rose had agreed, dragging herself out of bed to shower and apply her makeup. It didn’t take long, with her skill and speed, and by the time the sun had fully set Rose followed the smell of food up the stairs. James was seated at the dining table.    
  
“You didn’t chicken out!” Rose had half expected him to, or for Jack to talk him out of it. She grinned as he smiled around his fork. She sniffed the air, catching the unmistakable scent of werewolf and Jack’s cologne. “Jack helped you then?”    
  
“Mmmhmmm.” James swallowed his food as he nodded. “I took the big bedroom. Wasn’t sure if the sheets were clean, but I switched em for mine and folded them.” He nodded to the counter.    
  
“Thanks.” Rose smoothed the skirt of her dress, drawing in another breath. He didn’t smell of chemicals now, so his blood smelled tantalizing delicious. She was hungry, but her meal was waiting for her in a hotel. “Got settled then?”    
  
“Yep.” The way James popped the ‘p’ made her giggle. She couldn’t deny his work wrinkled tshirt, messy hair, and easy smile was endearing. “That’s a lovely dress. You off to work?”    
  
“Yep. Have an eight o’clock appointment.” She snagged the gloves she had left on the counter and pulled them on. “Should be done by ten. Then ‘m working a shift at Torchwood.   
  
“Jack invited me to pay a visit. Was contemplating it.” James gave a shrug as he took another bit. Rose watched him, intrigued. It had been so long since she’d had food, and she rarely got to watch someone eat. Not that she didn’t get different flavors with her own meals. The taste of blood varied greatly upon the human’s diet.    
  
“Well, you should stop by.” Rose snagged her purse and keys from the small table in the hall. “We can chat a bit. Place is always sort of dead on a new moon.” She wasn’t sure why that made him arch an eyebrow. “You probably knew that though.”   
  
“Only been the one time.” James ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up at odd angles, which surprisingly only added to his attractiveness. “But since that makes two invitations, how can I say no?”    
  
“Well then I’ll see you at ten thirty.” Rose paused at the mirror in the hall to check her hair. It felt nice, she had to admit, having someone in her house. Humans, magical or not, always made wherever they were feel a bit more real, more warm. “Later!”    
  
“Have a good night at work!” James’ voice followed her as she closed the door. “Be safe!”   
  
Rose realized halfway to her car that she was still smiling. It struck her then that it had been a long time since anyone but Jack had cared if she had a good night or was safe. It was a pleasant feeling, and she was surprised that she was actually eager to get to her shift at the bar for a change. She never bet on becoming friends with anyone, but James seemed to be the kind of person who could make friends with a demon if he wanted. Maybe Jack was right with his bar idea. Maybe creatures could get along if they had a place to start. She hoped he was right.


	5. Chapter 5

The bar was pretty empty, just like Rose had said it would be. The new moon was the best time for supernatural creatures to blend in, so they tended to go do their own things. It was half past ten, when she slipped in through the employee entrance and signaled Miranda that she was there. Miranda, the newest member of Jack’s pack, wasn’t exactly friendly with Rose, but she always seemed appreciative of Rose covering for her on slow nights.    
  
There were maybe twenty people in the whole bar, mostly gathered around tables, playing billiards, and a couple were dancing. One sniff told her there were only two humans, one currently dancing with a shifter, and one was sitting at the bar sipping a nearly empty beer with a stack of what looked like tests in front of him. “Hey James.” Rose smiled as she adjusted her red corset and made her way over to him. “Whatcha drinkin.”    
  
“Not sure, Miranda said it was some foreign label, didn’t tell me the name.” He downed the last mouthful and slid his glass towards her. Rose noticed then he was wearing a pair of specs that framed his face so well it made his already handsome features turn absolutely stunning. “‘S good though.”    
  
“Let me see.” Rose lifted it, taking a whiff, and smiled. She set it down, grabbing a clean glass, and sticking it under the tap for the same brand. “Glad to see you came in.” She sat the glass down and went to work traying up the few dirty ones behind the bar. “I thought the whole point of bars was to relax from work.” She nodded at the stack of tests he was grading. Judging by the questions, it was a physics exam. The stack seemed to be already graded ones, and it looked like the last one was in front of him.   
  
“I do tests on Saturdays and papers on Sundays.” James shrugged with a chuckle. “Since I couldn’t grade them today, figured I’d do that while I waited for you.” He looked back down, flipping to the last page. Rose kept quiet, using the time to observe how he read over each question and only marked one off. “Finished.” With a grin, he placed the test on the stack and then scooped them up. They disappeared into a bag he had at his feet.    
  
“Now, you can relax.” Rose rolled her eyes as she leaned against the bar. She would have been comfortable standing straight up, but she had learned doing things like that made people more comfortable.    
  
“How was work?” James pulled his glasses off, tucking them in the inside pocket of the casual suit coat he was wearing over a tshirt. “And how did you change before coming in.” His eyes trailed over the red leather and lace, before his cheeks flushed slightly pink and he looked away to take a drink.    
  
“I keep spare clothes in the car for shifts here.” Rose grinned shaking her hair back and standing up straight. “Work was, profitable and fulfilling as always.” She flashed him a meaningful look, to imply that she had fed so he didn’t need to worry.   
  
“I see.” James was curious. He had been milling over a thousand different career choices Rose could have that only included working part time but paid well enough for her to be standing there in a designer label corset and jean skirt. He knew the corset cost almost two hundred because Reinette had wanted to buy the exact one last Christmas. There were only two possible career choices, and given how Rose only worked at night, modeling was out of the question. “Hope you were safe at least.”    
  
Honestly it wasn’t his place to judge. She just didn’t seem the type was all, especially since she chose to work here part time. He watched as she addressed a woman by name and quickly mixed her drink without asking what she wanted. Obviously she was friendly with the people here. Judging by the library in her house she was educated, and she was someone Jack trusted. So she was obviously a good person. He wasn’t going to ask though, not out right.    
  
“So, how do you like the house?” Rose felt James studying her, as she watched him from the corner of her eye, not in a judgmental way, but more like he was curious. She took the money for Rhonda’s drink and put it into the till. Picking up a damp rag, she began wiping off the bar. It helped to look busy.   
  
“It’s cozy. Took a peek around your bookshelves.” James tapped his thumb against his glass. Rose had another interesting habit besides controlling her breathing, she would stand perfectly still, like she was frozen, before doing something to make herself look busy. “You have a very broad collection, I was surprised.”    
  
“You can borrow them any time.” Rose grabbed a dry towel to wipe down the wet she had left before leaning back across from James. “But you probably have a broad collection of books yourself, don’t you?” One thing she had learned about witches and/or warlocks, was that they kept books upon books squirreled away.    
  
“I did.” James offered her a half smile before taking a sip. “But the judge gave my ex wife the house and all its contents, so it’s gone.” Honestly, he still couldn’t figure out how Reinette had managed to come away so lucky in the divorce. She was the unfaithful one, not him. It didn’t make any sense, but there was nothing he could do. “You’d have liked it.” Unthinking he reached out and tapped Rose’s fingers where they rested on the bar. They were cold, very cold, which would make sense if  she had just came inside. That was so weird.   
  
Rose gasped at the warm tap, slowly pulling her hands back as James froze. Nobody who knew what she was ever tried to touch her, except Jack. Humans only did when they were drunk or thought they were about to get their money’s worth. “Yeah, uh, I probably would have.”   
  
“Okay, um, your hands are really cold.” James laughed softly, and it struck Rose then that maybe he hadn’t pieced the obvious together. “And they have makeup on them. Why is that?”    
  
“Jack didn’t tell you?” Rose looked surprised, as she immediately righted herself and began scanning the bar as if avoiding his face. “I mean, when he found out you were moving in, I figured he’d have said something.” The way she was fidgeting with her hair, and worrying her lip, her cheeks should have been flushing. Yet, there wasn’t even a hint under the makeup.    
  
“Said it wasn’t his place.” James could tell this was obviously making her uncomfortable. “But whatever it is, I won’t judge you. I mean, I don’t care that you’re an escort.” He could have slapped himself as his own nervousness at making her uncomfortable blurted his thoughts out. It happened sometimes. “I mean, I don’t-“   
  
“Yeah, I am.” Rose let her breath out before swallowing. He didn’t know, and well she sort of liked having him around so she wasn’t going to ruin it. “Just, uh, not many opportunities for people who can’t go out in the sun.” It was a lie she had told so many times to clients that it came naturally now. “The makeup, it’s cause I’m so pale it makes people uncomfortable.”   
  
“You have an allergy to the sun?” James had heard about it before, but it was rare. It could be treated with layered clothing and maximum spf sunscreen on most people. He had never heard about it keeping anyone permanently indoors during the day. “Polymorphous light eruption right?”   
  
“Actually, I have PMLE and Solar Urticaria.” Rose shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. It was an act she could pull off so easily now. “Just, avoiding the sun all together beats hours of burning hives and rashes from head to toe.” And burning period, but he didn’t need to know that.    
  
“Hence why you sleep in the basement away from all windows.” James ran a hand through his hair as he lifted his beer. “That makes sense, but I’m still not judging.”   
  
He would if he ever found out. Everyone did, except Jack and Gwen. “I’m not judging you either, for drinking beer while grading papers.” Rose gave her most rehearsed chuckle as she turned to take another order. James’ cheeks turned an adorable pink as he choked a bit on his beer. She knew he’d figure it out soon enough, and then he’d run.    
  
James could tell Rose was hiding more than she let on, but there was just something about the way her eyes got distant when she talked about herself that said she wasn’t ready to talk about it. He wasn’t about to press her though. He liked her personality, how peaceful the house was, and he honestly didn’t want to move back in with Jack. He had a feeling there were clues in front of him, but he just had to figure out where they were.    
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

James stripped his tie off as he came in the door. His Thursday class had finished early, which was no surprise this far into the semester. Over half of his class had dropped, as usual, and the remaining students were smart enough to not ask a gazillion questions at the end of the lecture. Granted, the half hour wasn’t much, but he was glad to be home by nine thirty instead of ten fifteen. He was starving, as he hadn’t had time to grab dinner between his late afternoon class and the evening one. He paused, as the smell of food caught him off guard. The house never smelled of food unless he was cooking.    
  
Coming around the corner, he blinked in surprise to see Rose at the stove, pulling what looked like a pan of chicken parmigiana out of the oven. She wasn’t wearing one of her expensive dresses, instead in a pair of yoga pants with a matching jacket. Her hair was pulled up in a simple ponytail, and when she turned to smile at him, her face was missing her usually perfect makeup. Almost all of her makeup that was, as her lips were coated red. “You’re home early.” She lifted the single chicken breast onto a plate that had what looked and smelled like freshly cooked vegetables with some sort of spice. “Hungry?”   
  
“Uh, yeah.” He was confused. Rose never even went into the kitchen for a drink of water, much less cooked food. “Did you cook us dinner?” He sat his bag down by the couch and pulled off his jacket, as she moved the plate to the table, where one of his beers from the fridge was waiting.   
  
“Just you.” Rose blew a strand of hair from her face as she reached over to pull a bottle filled with the red liquid from a pot of water on a back burner. She snagged a straw from the silverware drawer and dropped it in before taking a sip. “I, uh, didn’t have any appointments tonight, so figured I’d do something to pass the time.” She took another sip, making a face, before she released the straw and ran her tongue under her upper lips.   
  
“Thanks.” James noted the cookbook she had conveniently dropped a towel over and smiled as he settled into his chair. “Smells delicious.” It really did, but he’d have to taste it to see. In the almost week he had been living with her, he had never seen her consume anything, so he was harboring a little hesitancy about trying the food.    
  
“I followed the recipe exactly, so I hope it tastes fine.” Rose watched quietly as James took a bite. She drew another sip of the warmed blood in the bottle, but it wasn’t a good as fresh from the vein. It satiated her hunger though, which was all she needed really. It was rare for her not to have a ‘client’, but it happened sometimes. That’s why she kept the blood in the fridge on standby. “I’m just going to drink my dinner.” She had figured out that her new friend and housemate was oblivious to the fact of what she was. Jack had confirmed that. She should have glamoured him away days ago, but honestly he was great company, the few hours a night they did spend together.   
  
James cut a piece off before hesitantly taking a bite. The flavors exploded over his tongue, and he didn’t even try to hold back the moan of approval. “This is amazing.” Eagerly he took another bite. Rose’s giggle made him look up, where she was sitting in the chair across from him, sipping her drink. “If you can cook like this, why do you eat out every night?”    
  
“Restrictive diet.” Rose hummed as she drew another sip. The sound he had made after that first bite had been nearly sinful, and it had taken her a bit by surprise that it made her feel the need to blush, though she couldn’t. “I, uh, can’t digest solid foods.” It wasn’t a lie exactly. Just like needing to pass the time wasn’t exactly one either. Over the last few days, it had occurred to her that maybe James was just an ordinary human, and she needed to find out. “You know, you’re not like Jack’s other friends.”    
  
James froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. His conversations with Rose usually involved books or television shows they liked. He had to admit he wanted to know more about her, because there was just something about her he hadn’t figured out yet. He’d had an idea about Jack and Rose’s friendship he’d been contemplating, but it seemed so preposterous that he hadn’t wanted to broach the subject. Seeing Rose watching him as he took a bite had him thinking that maybe she was giving him permission. “Well, his dad lived next to my parents for years, but I didn’t really get to know him until Mr. Harkness passed away.”   
  
“What are you?” Rose swallowed another mouthful of blood, so focused on her curiosity she didn’t taste it. “I mean, besides being a chemistry and physics teacher.” She pulled a knee up to her chest to rest her chin on it.    
  
“Well, my maternal grandparents were Scottish, moved to London when they were first married, and my paternal grandparents were from London.” James was a bit confused by the question, not sure why his heritage played a part on his friendship with Jack.    
  
Rose drew a deep breath to taste the air around him. Just like the last few days, only the scent of books and papers. “You’re just human.” She muttered under her breath, unable to believe her idiocy at missing it. He taught chemistry, so he must have been in a lab or something the day they met. She was going to strangle Jack for not warning her.   
  
“Well I’m not an alien.” James dropped his fork, tilting his head to observe Rose was she looked like she was lost in thought. She did that a lot, got completely still and stared while looking like she wasn’t breathing. It had been odd at first, but he’s just added it to a list of ‘Rose habits’. He shouldn’t have asked the next question, but it came out before he could stop himself. “Is Jack your pimp?” He flinched as Rose choked mid sip and red liquid dribbled down her chin. He didn’t think Jack was like that, but in this day one could never be sure.   
  
“What?!” Rose wiped her lip and chin as she laughed. It was easy to see where James could have drawn that conclusion from. “No, ‘m a free agent, you could say. Work for myself.” James’ relief was visible as he picked his fork back up. “Jack is just one of the few people I met that isn’t disgusted by my lifestyle is all.”    
  
“Why do I always feel like there’s some big secret you and him are keeping then?” James had finished his food and picked up his beer. He watched as Rose seemed to contemplate something before she sighed.    
  
“‘S not my place to tell you his secrets.” Rose stood, moving past James to rinse the bottle. She had been so close to showing him, but she didn’t want to have to glamour it away if he freaked out. Her paltry dinner wasn’t satisfying her hunger, and she needed to go out. “‘M gonna just go change and take a walk.”    
  
James stood and grabbed Rose’s hand as she passed by him. He noted again how cold she was to the touch. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He liked the friendship growing between them, had already figured out that Rose was just as in need of company as he was. Why else would a woman who made the kind of money she did need a housemate?    
  
Rose pulled her fingers away, shaking her head. “You didn’t. ‘S just, I need to go out, okay.” The guilt in his eyes was unfounded, but the fact that it was there warmed her inside. It had been a long time since someone had genuinely cared if their words upset her. She bit her lip, looking away from his face.    
  
“Well, be safe.” James swallowed as he watched her tuck a lock of hair that had fallen loose behind her ear. He knew Rose wouldn’t have the career she did if she couldn’t handle herself, but he still cared if she got hurt. It wasn’t until she nodded and hurried from the room that he realized just how pale she was without her makeup. Even though he had obviously upset her some how, there hadn’t even been the faint hint of pink in her cheeks.    
  
The strange part was, he didn’t think it detracted from her looks. Not that he would admit he had been looking, because Rose had made it clear that they were friends and her job didn’t allow for relationships. She was really, very pretty. Even without her designer dresses and expertly applied makeup. Then again, she knew she was, after all her looks were what paid her bills. James shook his head, brushing off the thoughts as he picked up his plate and carried it to the sink.    
  
Rose stared at herself in the mirror. James always voiced his hope for her safety when she left. Why had his apology and safety caution caught her off guard this time? Maybe it had been the genuine guilt and concern in his words or the way his fingers had closed so unflinchingly around hers but immediately released when she pulled away. Jack was concerned for her too, but he knew what dangers were out there if she got caught. So why was it so different when James said it?   
  
Rose refused to admit it was because she was attracted to him. Yes he was absolutely gorgeous, whether in the suits he wore to teach, the casual jeans and tshirts when he was relaxing, or the loose fit pajama pants that hung off his lithe hips when he came downstairs for water at two in the morning. Yes he had a brilliant mind, a wonderful personality, and was so easy to sit down and talk with, but he was human, thought she was an escort, and could never know the truth.    
  
Humans didn’t take well to vampires after they got over the sexual rush they got while being fed on. That’s why it was imperative to glamor or drain them. Rose hated draining them, the guilt from doing it in her early days had nearly driven her to exposing herself to the sun, but as she learned to glamour, she had opted for that route. So she shoved those thoughts aside and quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt, throwing on some makeup akin to what college aged girls would wear, and headed back up the stairs.    
  
James turned from the sink as he heard the basement door open, his apology on his tongue as he took in her appearance. She looked like she was out for a night of drinks with some students. He had never bothered to ask how old she was, but looking at her now she couldn’t be more than twenty-one or twenty-two. She always carried herself, dressed, and talked like she was closer to being in her thirties like he was. “Rose, ‘m sorry if I offended you somehow.”    
  
“You didn’t. Just, ‘m not used to people asking questions I guess.” Rose’s smile was shy, as she looked down at her hands. “Um, see ya tomorrow?”    
  
“I’ll be here.” He smiled back, before she headed towards the door. Watching her disappear into the night had his brain nagging him. What was it about Rose that he couldn’t figure out? She was hiding something, clearly about herself and Jack, but what? Jack’s words about leaving the nonfiction section crossed his mind, but that had probably been a joke. Sighing to himself, he made his way up the stairs to take a shower and get some sleep.    
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

There was a certain thrill to the hunt Rose had forgotten about. It made her veins hum in excitement, and her gums tingle. It heightened her senses as she wound her way through the crowd at the pub. She could hear each individual heart as she sniffed out the tale tell signs of someone who would be willing to leave with the first girl who smiled at him.    
  
A group of guys in their late teens and early twenties, wearing some sort of rugby team shirts were gathered at a table in the corner, obviously celebrating something judging by their heady hormones filling the air. Rose leaned against the bar, ordering a simple mixed drink she wouldn’t consume, and began trying to figure out who would be the most willing.    
  
It didn’t take long before they noticed her watching, and she let her gaze hold with one that messy brown hair and eager brown eyes. She smiled at him coyly, biting her lip before turning away to pretend to sip her drink. Rose shot another glance at him as he whispered to his buddies, and they encouraged him to go over. “Hey there, gorgeous. ‘M Blake.” The guy leaned against the bar as he gave her an inviting smile.    
  
“‘M Marion.” It was always the name she used, just in case someone overheard them. “Whatcha celebrating over there?” She nodded at his friends, shifting just a bit closer to him. Judging by the pheromones that were coursing them the his veins, she already had him hooked.    
  
“Mike’s getting married next week.” Blake chuckled, reaching up to brush her arm. “Why are you out alone?”    
  
“Found out my boyfriend’s cheating, figured I’d go have some fun.” It was a lie that had worked in the past, and sure enough he took the bait. “You interested?”    
  
“You bet I am.” Blake raised his hand to his friends who elbowed each other, and Rose slid her money for the drink on the bar. “We can take a cab to my place.”   
  
“I’ll drive.” Rose pulled out her keys and winked as Blake looped an arm around her shoulder. He didn’t live far, and by the time they’d reach the building Blake’s hormone fueled blood had saturated the air in the car. His hands were on her thigh, stroking and squeezing as he leaned over to kiss along her neck when she parked. “Aren’t you gonna invite me up?” She forced her voice to take on the sultry tone she used with her clients to trick them into thinking she was aroused.    
  
“Will you come inside so we can get to the fun?” Blakes words were eager as he slid from the car. He was drunk enough that he didn’t question her cold fingers as he led her up and inside.    
  
“You live alone?” Rose grabbed his shirt, backing him against the sofa. She had no intentions of letting him get naked. Her fangs were practically aching for something besides the blood she’d choked down when she’d tried to talk to James.    
  
“Yeah.” Blake’s hands grabbed her waist, pulling her down as he sat. Delighted at being alone, Rose straddled him, laving her tongue across his pulse point. The blood was flowing so freely, as it did with athletic types, and she chuckled as he groaned and bucked up into her. “Blimey, you’re lips feel so, fuck!” Rose let her fangs schnick out as she punctured the skin. Blake’s gasp of surprise quickly turned to pleasure as he pulled her down against his lap.    
  
Rose grabbed his wrists to pin them on the back of the couch, lifting herself away from the hardness in his pants as she growled in delight at the way his blood coated her tongue. He was sweeter than she expected, with a sort of spicy edge to the blood. She was nearly full from the blood earlier, but drinking it so fresh was satisfying the need stored blood didn’t quite meet. She could taste his hormones and pheromones skyrocketing as he groaned and moved under her, and when they reached the peak, she lowered herself enough to barely touch his groin and eagerly caught the suddenly gushing rush of blood that signaled his climax.    
  
Pulling back, Rose nipped her tongue, spreading her own blood across the wounds to heal them. “Enjoy that?” She giggled into his ear as he panted under her. His breathless sigh and nod made her smirk as she pulled back to look into his eyes. Retracting her fangs, she stared down at him. “Now, Blake, we came back here and shagged until we passed out. I left before you woke up, but didn’t leave a number okay.” He nodded mutely, and Rose released his wrists. Using her increased speed, she darted down the stairs to her car.    
  
Halfway home, the nausea started. She felt it burning deep in her stomach, and it slowly spread out to her fingers. It was like fire in her veins, as her vision grew blurry. No, no, no, she’d never had this happen after feeding before. Yet, the pain was getting worse. She fumbled in her purse for her mobile, to call Jack, but couldn’t find it. Vaguely she recalled leaving it on her bed. Ignoring traffic laws, Rose floored the accelerator, but by the time she made it out of the car into the yard, the pain was so excruciating she was sobbing. Her tears, which were blood as well, burned her skin as it trailed down. “What the hell?!” Rose gasped as she pushed the door open. Then, for the first time in two hundred years, she started puking.    
  
James jerked awake, blinking at his alarm clock. It was only just after one, and he’d been out an hour. He wasn’t sure what woke him up until he heard a crash from downstairs and what sounded like someone fall. “Rose!” Heart pounding he jumped out of bed, racing down the stairs. Rose was kneeling on all fours, surrounded by blackish red liquid. It was all over her skin and clothes as she gave a violent retch. More of the fluid gushed out of her mouth.    
  
“James.” Rose’s face lifted, and he saw the same red liquid staining her cheeks like tears. “Hel-“ She puked again, cutting off her words, falling to the side. Some of the liquid splashed across her cheek and she sobbed as it made her skin bubble.    
  
“Holy hell!” James rushed to her, and as he drew closer a coppery smell assaulted his nostrils. Dipping his fingers into the liquid, he sniffed it. It was blood. Rose was vomiting and crying blood, and where it was touching her skin left nasty pink marks like a sunburn. “‘M calling an ambulance! Stay here.” He scrambled to his feet to run back up for his mobile.    
  
“No!” Rose’s scream as she grabbed his ankles made him freeze. “Need Jack.”    
  
“Jack’s a bartender! Rose, you’re vomiting blood!” James jerked his leg free, but Rose’s yelp of pain as she collapsed with another wave of gushing blood made him crouch down. He knew enough about first aid to know he hand to roll her onto her side and open her airway before he went for the phone. As he did, his fingers brushed her soaked shirt and he realized with a jolt that her heart had stopped. “No!”    
  
James knew he had to give her compressions, but he had no clue what in the world could cause someone to cry and vomit blood. What if it was a disease, a biological terrorist attack or something? Before he could roll her back over, she jerked and vomited again. The red liquid coated his arms, and she gurgled as she clung to his bare shoulder. “Call Jack.” She groaned, curling in on herself.    
  
“No! I’m calling an-“ James lost his sentence as she dug her nails into his shoulder and hissed at him. Rose’s incisors were suddenly gone as fangs snapped through her gums and glistened at him. That was impossible, but before he could process it she started seizing. “Fuck! Fuck!” He dashed towards the stairs, going for his mobile. Grabbing it, he darted back down the stairs dialing Jack’s number.    
  
“What’s up Doc?” Jack chuckled, the loud noise of the bar in the background.   
  
“Rose is a vampire!” James shouted as he skidded back into the living room. Rose had stopped twitching, but she was back on her side. His heart was racing and his mind was a whirlwind as it tried to logically refute the obvious.   
  
“What happened?” Jack’s voice was suddenly serious. “Did she-“   
  
“She came home vomiting blood and having a seizure!” Instincts James didn’t know he had told him to run out the door and not look back, but he fought against them, kneeling beside her. Blood was slowly trickling out of her mouth, but her eyes were jerking behind their lids. “I tried to call an ambulance but she showed me her fangs and said to call you.”    
  
“Is the blood burning her skin?” Jack groaned, and James heard the bar music disappear.   
  
“Like a sunburn.” James heart was in his throat as he wiped some blood off of her face. The skin was starting to boil like blisters. “Are you a vampire?”    
  
“Hell no.” Jack barked out. “She has silver poisoning. Strip her clothes off and take her to her shower. I’ll be there in ten. Leave the door open.” The line went dead.    
  
James tossed his mobile aside. “Rose, ‘m gonna take you downstairs now. Don’t bite me.” Gently he lifted her into his arms, and her whisky colored eyes fluttered open. “Jack’s coming.” Her eyes drooped dangerously as her head lolled. More blood began to froth at the corner of her lips. “This is insane!” He whispered to himself, as he carried her down the basement stairs.    
  
He hadn’t been there before, but as he flipped on the lights he was a bit surprised. She had turned the entire basement into what looked like a posh master bedroom. He didn’t pay attention to it though, as he carried her into the ensuite and slid open the shower doors. She was twitching again, making strange choking noises. He turned on the water, letting it warm as he stripped her clothes off an tossed them aside. He felt his stomach lurch as he saw the blood on his skin left burn marks where he touched her.     
  
Quickly he lifted her into the shower, then kicked off his own blood soaked clothes and knelt beside her. “Rose, can you hear me? ‘M gonna rinse you off okay?” To his relief, she nodded weakly. “Okay, come here.” James pulled her into his arms, supporting her as he held her under the water. He started at her hair, carefully pulling her ponytail free and working the blonde strands until the water ran clear.    
  
When Rose gave another violent heave, he held her over the drain, letting the reddish froth splash away from her. Then she went limp again. “Rose, hang on, okay, Jack’s almost here.” James wasn’t sure how he could help. Was he like a vampire doctor or something? It didn’t matter. Rose needed help.    
  
James continued slowly washing her off, being careful not to irritate the blisters forming. She didn’t even twitch when the rag brushed along her more intimate areas, and his stomach filled with dread as he worried she may be dead, really dead. Someone walking upstairs jerked him from his worries. “Jack! Down here!” He bellowed, cradling the now clean Rose against his own bare skin. He expected to hear Jack’s heavy steps coming down, but when movement caught his eye, he looked out of the shower to see a massive grey wolf with wild yellow eyes staring at him. “Oh hell-“ his curse was lost as a ripping sound filled the air and the wolf reared up on it’s hind legs. The fur shimmered for a moment, and then a naked, panting Jack was standing in his place.    
  
“Werewolf.” Jack grabbed a towel, holding out his arms. “Give me Rose.” James felt like his head was going to explode as he stood slowly and lifted Rose into Jack’s waiting arms. He grabbed a towel to wrap around his own waist, as he followed Jack into Rose’s room. He was laying beside her on the bed, holding his arm against her lips. “Drink, Rose.”    
  
“Is she dead?” James had decided to focus on one crisis at a time. He could freak out about Jack being a werewolf after he knew Rose was okay.    
  
“No. When vamps die, they turn into ash.” Jack growled, lifting Rose’s wet hair. “I know I taste like crap to you Rose, but you have to feed.” Rose made a noise of gurgled protest, blood trickling down her chin.    
  
“She keeps a jug of blood in the fridge.” James recalled her drink at dinner, the red liquid from the fridge.    
  
“Won’t work. She needs fresh blood to purge her system.” Jack hissed as he pulled his arm away. “Shit, she had silver in her mouth.” James saw the skin around where Jack had forced his wrist onto her fangs was starting to boil up. He grabbed her mobile from the end of the bed, scrolling through it.    
  
“What are you doing?” James edged closer to them, though deep inside of him his gut was telling him they were dangerous, predators he should fear. It didn’t make sense. They were his friends.    
  
“Calling Gwen to pick up a homeless person.” Jack growled. “She needs human blood.”    
  
“I’m human.” James watched as Jack froze, and Rose’s eyes shot open. She shook her head weakly. “I can help, Rose.”   
  
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Jack huffed, as he returned to scrolling through her phone.    
  
James swallowed, heart pounding as he moved to sit next to Rose. She looked more pale than he had ever seen her, barring the angry pink and red burns on her skin. “You said.” Rose whispered, turning her face away. “Not to bite you.”   
  
“Changed my mind.” James took her face gently in his hand, watching as her nostrils flared and her pupils blew wide. Her lips parted, showing her fangs.    
  
“You sure about this?” Jack grabbed the corner of her towel, wiping her lips clean.    
  
“How do I do it?” He made to move his wrist to her lips, but Jack stopped him.    
  
“Get behind her.” James watched in nervous anticipation as Jack slowly lifted Rose up. Then he slid behind her, letting her lay back between his legs and her head rest against his chest. “Now, it’s gonna hurt like hell at first. Her saliva isn’t going to have the chemicals needed to make it pleasurable at first.” Rose whimpered as she tensed against him. He took Jame’s arm in both hands, positioning his forearm against Rose’s mouth.   
  
“How do you mean pleasurable?” James asked, feeling the pricking pressure of Rose’s fangs against his skin. Jack didn’t respond, simply shoved against his arm hard. James winced as he felt his skin tear, and the blood squirt out into Rose’s mouth. It stung, but didn’t hurt. Then, Rose gave a growl and her lips tightened around his skin. Burning pain shot down his arm as he felt her give a wild suck, but before he could scream, Jack’s hand slapped over his mouth.    
  



	8. Chapter 8

James resisted the urge to yank his arm away, not like he could. Jack had it pinned to Rose’s mouth, and she was making loud sucking noises as she drank. It hurt like hell, as her teeth dug into his skin. Tears stung his eyes and he had to force himself to relax. Suddenly, she pulled away, batting at Jack’s hands with a snarl that could only be defined as possessive. Jack scooted back, holding his hands up in defense, but before James could move, Rose had his arm in her hands and bit down again.    
  
The pain shot through him, making him yelp, as he felt her swallow, but gradually it began to change. He felt something start creeping up his arm, like getting a shot of sedative when he had his appendix removed, except it didn’t numb him. The sensation was like being kissed, a deep, enticing, sultry kiss. It warmed his skin, and when it reached his chest he felt it pick up speed.    
  
Suddenly he found himself sighing, as his heart pounded for a whole different reason. This felt wonderful. James relaxed back against Rose’s pillows, splaying his hands across her bare stomach as he cradled her against him.    
  
“Looks like she’s recovering.” Jack chuckled, standing up. James felt his cheeks flush as he realized Jack was still naked. “What’s your blood type?”    
  
“AB, uh, negative.” James groaned as Rose’s fingers stroked his arm. Her cold touch sent sparks up his skin, making him flex behind her as he felt himself begin to stir.    
  
“Rose, you gonna control yourself?” To James’ amusement she raised a hand to flip Jack off. “Kay, I’ll go see if Ianto can get over here to give you some blood when she’s done.” He picked up Rose’s phone and disappeared from the room.    
  
With him gone, Rose seemed to relax a bit, and each swallow she took made James’ body surge dangerously closer to release. He couldn’t help it, the feelings coursing through his body from her lips and tongue was like she was was sucking on another part of his body. It was instinct to pull her back tighter against him, and he groaned as she dropped one hand from his arm to cover his fingers, holding them still against her stomach.    
  
Her own sighs and groans of delight only served to drive him closer to the edge, and her fervent sucks against his skin increased as she laced her fingers with his. The coil deep in his gut tightened, and Rose pressed herself back against him as she gave a long hard draw from his veins. James cried out as the coil snapped, feeling his release empty against the towel barely separating them. He held her to him, panting as his pulse roared in his ears. It was euphoric, without a doubt the best he’d ever experienced, and as his mind spun he vaguely registered Rose licking his arm with a happy hum as he let his eyes shut and head fall against the headboard.   
  
“Thank you.” Rose sighed, turning in his arms. He forced his heavy eyelids open, to find her straddling him, stroking his face. The sight of his blood on her chin and lips, dripping down to her bare breasts should have scared him, even through his orgasmic haze his instincts were warning him. “If you hadn’t found me before sunrise...”   
  
“Shhhh.” James felt a bit weak, like he hadn’t slept for days, and he was cold. It took a noticeable effort to raise his hand and brush her damp hair from her face. “I told you to be safe.”    
  
“Dunno what happened, but I’m so sorry.” Rose’s smile was a bit sad as she cupped his face. “You don’t have to be afraid, by tomorrow you won’t even remember.” James was about to ask why, when he felt something brushing weakly at his mind. Rose’s eyes were wide and earnest as she stared at him. “When you wake up, James, you’ll forget tonight ever happened.”    
  
“Why would I forget?” James let his hand drop to her waist, searching her eyes as she frowned. “Rose what’s wrong.”    
  
“‘M too weak.” She sighed, letting her head fall to his shoulder before she rolled away and sat up with her back to him. James managed to push himself up, shakily, and noted that the bite marks on his arm was gone. There was only a smear of blood around what looked like two bug bites. “Can’t glamour you yet.”    
  
“What’s glamour?” James winced as his head spun. Now that his body was relaxing from its sudden and intense climax, he could feel the bloodloss affecting him. Coupled with the sticky wetness on his towel he groaned in embarrassment as he realized what had happened. “Rose, ‘m sorry. I couldn’t control it.”    
  
“You’re sorry?” Rose turned, her face wiped clean and the blood stained towel covering her chest. “You saved me, James. That.” She gestured downward, looking away as she avoided his eyes. “Is my fault, not yours.” She stood up, holding the towel around her. “Aren’t you scared?”    
  
He should be, he knew that, but he wasn’t. Rose could easily have kept going and drained him, he had figured that when Jack asked if she was going to control herself, but she hadn’t. Even though she had been sick and in danger, she had stopped. “No, I’m not. I don’t want you to make me forget it either.”    
  
“Don’t try to get up, okay.” Rose felt the shock at his words hit her hard. The embarrassment at what she had made him do was tight in her chest. She had thought he’d want to forget, that was why she’d tried to glamor him. She could see how the blood loss was affecting him. He looked a bit pale as he relaxed against the sheets. She was weak herself, still feeling the last effects of the silver in her system as she quickly changed into a nightdress. “Just rest. I’ll bring you some clothes.” James nodded as his eyes closed.    
  
Rose swallowed as she hurried up the stairs. Jack was wearing some clothes he had stashed in a spare room, and he had a mop and bucket in his hand. “Glamour him yet?” He asked, wiping his brow. “Gwen’s on the way with a carpet cleaner.”    
  
“Too weak to glamour.” Rose sighed she patted Jack on the shoulder as she stepped past him to get James a glass of water and fix him a sandwich. She’d taken more than she meant to, nearly two pints. He’d need food and water so he wouldn’t be so weak. “And he said he didn’t want to be.”   
  
“He didn’t freak out after the thrall wore off?” Jack raised an eyebrow as he rinsed the mop out. Rose knew he was watching her so she shook her head. She was still trying to wrap her head around it herself. The guilt at what she had done to him was now overpowering the fear she had felt. “Rose, what happened to you?”   
  
“I dunno. Fed on this guy named Blake, and his blood tasted different, sort of spicy, but I thought maybe it was something he ate.” Rose shuddered as she remembered how her insides had burned. “Maybe he was taking colloidal silver or something.”    
  
“Had to be. The blood burned me too.” Rose looked back as she realized Jack was wearing rubber cleaning gloves. “Thought we were gonna lose you before James volunteered to be dinner.” Rose held still as Jack tossed the gloves aside and wrapped her in a hug. “Never scare me like that again.”   
  
“I won’t.” Rose rested her head against him, breathing in the musky smell that clung to his skin after a change. She knew that it had probably been hard to show James the truth, and she was grateful for it. “You two saved me.”   
  
“That’s what friends are for, Rosebud.” Jack kissed her hair before pulling away. “Go get James some clothes. Ianto should be by in a few hours with a bag of O for him. He said not to let him move until he checks him over.”    
  
“He’ll be out like a light by the time he eats.” Rose sighed, heading for the stairs, snagging his mobile off the floor as she went, to get James some clothes. “I’ll let him stay down there, so I can keep an eye on him before sunrise.”    
  
“You’re gonna let him sleep in your bed?” Jack’s voice was a bit shocked. She was halfway up the stairs before she shrugged. “Rose Marion Tyler, you like him!” His laugh made her turn around.    
  
She shot Jack a look. “I want to keep an eye on him!” Rose knew her protest was weak, but it shut Jack up, so she headed back up the stairs, wincing as a lingering wave of nausea hit her. She managed to find a pair of boxers and a tshirt in his first drawer, not wanting to rifle through his things. Then she headed back to the kitchen to grab his food. Jack was out back, dumping the mop water by the sounds she was hearing.    
  
James was laying on his back, still wrapped in his towel, staring at the ceiling. “Hey you.” Rose set the mobile, sandwich, and glass of water on side table before handing him his clothes. James smiled at her, his cheeks flushing a bit as he sat up. “Ianto will be here in a few hours with a pint of blood to give you.” She sat on the end of the bed, closing her eyes so he could change.    
  
“I’ll just change and go upstairs.” James sighed, feeling a bit dizzy as he pulled off the towel and slid his clothes on. He tried to stand when he was dressed, but the room spun dangerously so he sat back down.    
  
“I took a bit too much, sorry.” Rose’s voice was soft as she touched his arm. Her movement was a blur as she was suddenly handing him the sandwich and sitting on the bed again. “You need to eat and lay down until he gets here. Best if you just stay here where I can hear your heart rate.”    
  
“You can hear my heart?” James had been about to take a bite, but her words managed to find their way into his foggy brain. Rose nodded, looking away as if she was embarrassed. His mind felt a bit weird, like he was drunk, as it made shaky connections. “Your clients are your dinners aren’t they?”    
  
Rose couldn’t help but laugh as he took a bite after his question. “Yeah, I feed on them then glamour them into thinking we had sex, even though I don’t do more than feed.” It felt sort of good for him to know the truth of that, not that it mattered to him if she slept with them or not.    
  
“How old are you?” James’ question made her smile. She knew he was doing whatever he could to keep her from feeling embarrassed. Questions were his small talk.    
  
“Two hundred and nineteen.” Rose tightened her lips to hide the giggle as his eyes went wide in shock. “I was made vampire three days after my arranged marriage.”   
  
“Will I be-“   
  
“No!” Rose touched his leg instinctively to cut off the question, but she slid her hand away when she realized what she had done. “No, even if I gave you some of my blood to replace some of what you lost, you wouldn’t turn.”    
  
James was still feeling a bit in shock at everything, but that last statement had him more confused than ever. “You can give me your blood?”    
  
“Yes, but you wouldn’t want me to.” Rose wasn’t meeting his eyes, and she heaved a heavy sigh. “Giving you my blood would mark you as my... consort I guess is the best way to describe it. Gives me a claim over you. ‘S not done these days.”    
  
That obviously was a topic she didn’t want to address, so he didn’t push it. His sandwich gone, he picked up the glass of water and downed it. He felt a bit better, but still off.    
  
Rose watched as James sat the glass down and rubbed his face. “You should lay down. Jack will finish upstairs and lock up.” She stood, gathering the towels to take them to the laundry basket in the ensuite. She wasn’t sure why, but suddenly the thought of having him sleeping in her bed made her nervous. It wasn’t nervousness that he would hurt her in her sleep, but a kind she couldn’t describe. The last time she’d shared a sleeping arrangement of any sort was in a bomb shelter during the air raids in the forties.    
  
James would have been more uncertain of sharing a bed with Rose if his head mind wasn’t so foggy. As it was he barely had the motivation to pick up his phone and send an email and text notification to his classes tomorrow that he would be out sick, and to expect the lecture notes emailed out. Then he pushed the blankets down and curled up under them. It was hard to believe it was almost three in the morning. The adrenaline had worn off and sleep tugged at his mind.    
  
Rose came back into the sleeping area, finding James curled up in her normal spot, eyes half shut. He looked so adorable, all ruffled and groggy that she grinned. She was tired herself, but she needed to stay awake long enough for Ianto to come in. Jack had already left, and upstairs was quiet. “Mind if I turn on the telly while you sleep?” She whispered, moving to slide under the covers.    
  
“‘S your room.” James yawned, snuggling into the pillow. Rose smiled at him as she turned it on, putting the volume low enough that only her attuned hearing would catch it. It wasn’t long before he was snoring softly.    
  
She relaxed into the pillows, feeling her body slowly healing as his blood hummed through her veins. She had never stuck around anyone after feeding them, but she found now that she was more aware of each beat of his heart and each breath he took than she ever had been. She did jerk, just a bit in shock, as his hand moved across the sheets to find hers, and knowing she shouldn’t, Rose laced their fingers together, feeling his pulse against her palm.    
  



	9. Chapter 9

James batted at the hands shaking him softly. He was so sleepy, why couldn’t they let him get just a few more minutes? Something was squeezing his left bicep and a cold wetness was stroking the junction of his elbow. “James, wake up.” Rose’s voice carried through the fog in his brain, making him jerk awake. She was kneeling next to him, and he realized there was a man sitting in a chair beside the bed with a medical pole. The man was wiping his arm with what smelled like alcohol.    
  
“Rose, what?” He was confused for a moment until his groggy mind recalled everything that had happened. He blinked as he took in her skin. The pink splotches and blisters were gone, leaving it that soft porcelain color he knew so well.    
  
“Hello Doctor Smith.” The man gave him a half smile. “My name is Ianto Jones. I understand you need a some blood.”    
  
“Yeah, I do.” James did his best to sit up into a reclining position. It took him a moment to realize Rose was holding his hand on her lap, watching him with worried eyes. “What are you exactly?”    
  
“Technically.” Ianto shook his head as he squinted at James’ arm. “I’m a research scientist, but in reality I’m a healer.” He met his eyes for a second. “Rose, his vein isn’t coming up, could you just?” He held up James’ arm   
  
“Yeah.” Rose leaned over him, and James’ breath caught as she laved her tongue across his skin. Almost immediately he felt his body respond to the chilly sensation. “There ya go.” Then she leaned down to whisper in his ear. “He’s a witch.”    
  
“Brilliant.” James winced as he felt the needle pierce his skin. “What time is it?” He couldn’t see a clock, and it was impossible to reach for his mobile as one arm was being hooked up to what appeared to be a bag of saline line and the other was being held by Rose. He still felt groggy though.    
  
“Exactly twenty minutes til sunrise.” Rose yawned, stroking his hand softly. She could tell he was still sleepy, and it was tugging at her as well. By now she would normally be well on the way to unconsciousness, but she wanted to stay awake for him. “When this is done you can pass back out, ‘kay.”    
  
“How are you feeling, Rose?” Ianto looked up from where he had just primed James’ iv line with saline to prep for the blood. “Still nauseous and weak?”   
  
“Threw up a bit more bout half an hour ago.” It hadn’t been fun at all, and she was a tad hungry again. To her surprise, Ianto reached into his bag and pulled out an unmarked bottle and passed it over to her. It was warm, the perfect body temperature. “Thanks.”    
  
“Stopped by a donor’s house on the way. Been bottled for about thirty minutes.” Ianto nodded, and she quickly undid the top.    
  
James watched the exchange for a moment, curious as to their conversation until Rose lifted the bottle to her lips and began to chug. “Why didn’t you just wake me up?” He asked, reaching for her hand again. He had been right there, if she needed more blood.    
  
“Because I didn’t want to drain you anymore than I had.” Rose offered him a timid smile, which should have made him flinch as the blood on her lips glistened. All he could think was that she hadn’t wanted to hurt him.    
  
“And you can’t feed on him for another forty-eight hours.” Ianto cut in, drawing James’ gaze. “He needs to stay in bed for at least another twelve hours, and he shouldn’t be driving or working until tomorrow morning.”    
  
“He is right here.” James snorted, and Rose giggled at the look of indignation on his face.    
  
“Sorry, Doctor, not used to my vampire victims being conscious.” Ianto nodded as he reclined back in his chairs. Rose winced at the word. Ianto liked her well enough, as she often gave him a vial or two of blood for healing potions. She knew there were at least seven other vampires in London, and only three of them had progressed with the times like she had.   
  
“I’m not a victim.” James squeezed Rose’s hand, seeing the look on her face as she went back to drinking from the bottle. “I volunteered to help her, and she stopped when she had enough.” His mind had finally accepted this was all real, and judging from the tension in the air, vampires in real life had the same reputation as in books. He had already seen that Rose wasn’t like that at all, and it wasn’t just because of what had happened when she was feeding.    
  
Rose finished her drink, passing the bottle back to Ianto before heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Technically she didn’t need to, but she didn’t think James would be okay with her laying next to him with blood in her mouth. She was halfway through doing that when she realized that she’d never worried about that before. Why was she letting herself get worked up over him like this? Jack’s taunt was she was going up the stairs floated into her mind. She did like him, but that was an impossible scenario so she needed to forget that.    
  
James fought against sleep as he waited quietly for Rose to come back and Ianto to finish. It wasn’t taking long for his body to accept the blood, which was clearly marked as O negative on the bag. He wanted to ask Ianto questions, but he wasn’t sure where to even start. “You’re taking this pretty well.” Ianto commented, breaking the silence. “Jack told me you found out about them just tonight.”    
  
“Well, I guess the truth was there. Just didn’t want to accept it.” James chuckled, glancing towards the ensuite door. “I’m a chemistry professor, so I thought she just had sun allergies and they both had silver allergies too. Seemed logical.”   
  
“And now?” Ianto looked up at the nearly empty blood bag, then took his wrist in his hands obviously checking his pulse. “You don’t feel that gut instinct that tells you to run away?”   
  
“Why is that exactly? I kept feeling thus nagging, like something was off?” James didn’t like not knowing where his thoughts came from. It wasn’t how he worked. He was in control of himself, end of story.    
  
“Survival instinct from centuries of evolution.” Ianto leaned back into his seat again. “My whole family is magical, but we’re human too. We feel it, helps us pinpoint who is human and who is...” He lifted a hand. “More than that. See, back before the Church expanded and hunted ‘supernatural’ creatures to near extinction, what we know as ghost stories and legends were warnings to children. They ingrained fear of them into our bodies, and that fear never goes away.” He gave a wry chuckle. “What we tell kids is an irrational fear of the dark or strangers, is their inherent knowledge.”   
  
James pondered Ianto’s words. He’d had the same fear of the dark as a child, all children he knew did. Yet, that fear didn’t dictate him. He had controlled it, and now that he knew the reason he had it, it was easy to push away. He watched as Ianto clamped the line for the empty blood bag, flushed it out with saline, and then carefully pulled the large bore out of his arm. He was about to bandage it, when Rose was suddenly on the bed. He hadn’t even seen her move.   
  
“Let me.” Rose nicked her finger on her fangs, drawing blood and quickly smearing it on the small puncture in James’ arm. Retracting them, she watched in satisfaction as the skin closed, not even leaving a mark. “I’ll send you the payment at sundown, Ianto.” She yawned again, brushing her hair out of her face. The sun had come up almost twenty minutes ago, and it was taking all her strength to stay awake.    
  
“Jack already did.” Ianto gave them both a smile, before shoving the IV pole into his bag. She chuckled as James gaped in shock. “Magic.” He shrugged, disappearing through the door and shutting it behind him.    
  
“I feel like my world has been turned upside down.” James relaxed back into the pillows, Ianto had said he needed to stay laying down, and there was no way Rose could help him upstairs during the day.    
  
“I can make you forget, at sundown.” Rose sighed as she got up to turn off the lights. It plunged the room into total darkness, but she knew the way to her bed by memory and James’ steady breathing helped as well. “If you want.” She crawled under the sheets, turning onto her side. She wanted to hold his hand again, but the tone of his voice said he probably wouldn’t want it.    
  
“Do you want me to forget?” James didn’t want to. The truth had been somewhat of a shock, but it beat not knowing why his friends were so secretive. Then again, it was their secret, and if they wanted to keep it that way, he understood why. He didn’t like it, but he understood.   
  
“No.” Rose sighed as she said it. She liked not having to hide who she was, and she knew James well enough he wouldn’t go blasting it to the world. “Thanks again, for savin’ me. I don’t think ‘ve ever been so scared. Not even when I was bein’ hunted.”    
  
“Rose,” James couldn’t see, so he felt along the bed until he found her soft, chilly fingers. “I’ve never been that scared either.” He pulled lightly on her hand, wondering if she’d get the hint. He couldn’t deny that he’d slowly been growing attracted to her, and while this changed a lot, it didn’t change that.    
  
Rose hesitated, knowing without a doubt that letting him wrap her in his arms would be a bad idea. Still, she went, enjoying the way his warm shirt felt under her cheek. She could hear his heart more clearly like this, and the sweet smell of his skin surrounded her. “Um, don’t freak out if you wake up and I look ‘n feel sort of dead.”    
  
“I won’t.” James felt her relax against him, and he briefly wondered how long it had been since she’d had any contact like this with anyone. The thought didn’t stay in his mind long, because he was asleep almost as soon as he felt her habitual breathing totally cease.


	10. Chapter 10

James shifted, feeling his body protest in soreness as he did. Opened his eyes, and jerked as he saw nothing but blackness. It disoriented him, shock making his heart pound as he registered something pinning him on his back. He swallowed, as his sleep fogged mind raised his fingers up to touch whatever was sprawled across his chest. They met cool, smooth skin and silky strands of hair. The smell of Rose’s perfume hung in the air, and he felt himself panic as his fingers stroked down to find her shoulders bare. “Damn it.” He whispered, as his head throbbed. He felt like he was nursing a hangover. Had they gotten drunk and...the memories broke through the fog. No, they hadn’t had sex, but as he replayed the night before he felt his cheeks flush.     
  
It was still nearly impossible to comprehend, though he lived it. Rose was a vampire, and Jack was a werewolf. He had so many questions, but they’d have to wait because Rose was absolutely dead to the world, pun intended. Also, he had to pee so badly. Gently as he could, James shifted Rose off of him and onto the pillow.   She didn’t even twitch, that he could feel. Fumbling on the night stand, he found his mobile and flipped the screen on. It was just after five in the afternoon.    
  
Groaning, as laying flat on his back had left him sore, he tested sitting up. He didn’t feel dizzy or weak anymore, just a bit shaky. Using his screen as a torch, he glanced over at Rose. She was lying perfectly still, not moving, not breathing, not even her eyelids twitched. It struck him then that he had been somewhat right before she left last night. He had thought she looked in her twenties, and she physically was. She’d been like that for around 200 years.    
  
James stroked her cheek, feeling how cool and soft it was, like an expensive doll. It was impossible to forget what had happened between them. He’d never have guessed that something like having his blood drank could arouse such an intimate feeling from him. He hadn’t had those feelings in almost a year, and he’d be lying if he didn’t admit he liked it. Swallowing, he pushed himself to his feet, using the phone screen to light his way to the ensuite. He vaguely remembered Rose having a toilet in there, but he doubted she ever used it. Flipping on the light, he grimaced at the brightness, but as his eyes adjusted he blinked.    
  
Rose must have cleaned up while Ianto was giving him blood or while he was first sleeping, because there was no evidence of anything that had occurred. When he was done relieving himself, he stood at the long mirror that stretched along the wall. Under it, on the counter, were rows and rows of makeup, hair styling tools, and perfumes. To his surprise, his toothbrush and mouthwash were sitting next to his rinse cup. Rose must have known he’d wake before she did. He took advantage of her forethought, and as he was brushing his teeth, he stared at his reflection. He looked as hung over and weak as he felt. After rinsing his mouth, he filled the cup with water to clear his throat. His phone told him he’d been out of bed for twenty minutes, and he could feel it. It was also only about an hour until sunset.   
  
Leaving the ensuite door cracked so he could have light, he made his way back to the bed and slid under the sheets. Rose had shifted some, now curled up onto her side with her hands under the pillow. James rolled over to face her, and almost instantly her lips parted, and she sniffed. “Rose.” Cautiously, he stroked her cheek, before brushing her hair out of her face. “Rose, you waking up?”    
  
“You smell good.” Her voice was slurred as she smiled, and it was a strange combination of adorable, sexy, and dangerous as her lips revealed her fangs. Her eyes remained shut though. James chuckled, but that sound must have startled her, because her eyes shot open and suddenly he was on his back with his hands pinned by his head.    
  
“Rose! It’s me!” James felt his heart leap into his throat, but he held perfectly still. Rose was squinting down at him, lips pulled back in a snarl. “It’s James!”    
  
“James.” Rose felt her panic at being startled awake in her own bed fade. It had been instinct to pin whoever it was that had disturbed her, and she retracted her fangs as she released his wrists and dropped to the side. It was far too early for her to fully move, unless life or death dictated hit. “You startled me.” His heart was thudding so loud, she felt guilt at scaring him.    
  
“Note to self, don’t wake Rose up before sunset.” James’ chuckle was breathless as he rolled back over to face her. “Sleep well?”    
  
“Mmhmmm.” Rose fought to keep her eyes open as she smiled at him.  He was watching her with a soft look, and his breath broke across her face with a hint of chemical minty toothpaste. “How long you been awake?” Her stomach gave a twinge as his wrist passed by her lips and his fingers stroked her cheek. The tenderness in his touch surprised her enough that she didn’t even have to fight the hunger. His gentle brush was pleasantly warm, and she felt she could easily close her eyes and drift back off for another hour.    
  
“Bout thirty minutes.” James pulled his hand back, but Rose shifted with it, the heat from his body like a magnet luring her in. It felt too good to resist. “Bit disoriented when I woke up, but thanks for bringing my stuff down.”    
  
“You’re welcome.” Rose drew in a breath, savoring how much of her scent was on his skin. It’d take days for it to fully wash off, but he wouldn’t know. Only another vampire would smell it, and none came into her territory. “How’d you sleep?”    
  
“I think unconscious is a more accurate word.” James chuckled. He hadn’t missed Rose moving closer to him, but he wasn’t sure how she’d feel about any further contact. The pre-blackout cuddling had been relief caused, but he wasn’t sure if she was okay with it now. “Once the sun is down, I can go upstairs right?” His stomach was growling, and he realized all he’d eaten since dinner last night was a sandwich.    
  
“Yeah.” Rose could hear his stomach growling, and it only served to remind her of her own hunger. She swallowed to ease the tension in her mouth. The closer to night they drew, the more alert she became. She’d be able to fully move and get her mobile in a bit. She already had a client lined up for the night, but she’d need the hotel and room. Until then, she’d distract herself with the surprising hero in her bed. “You were really brave last night.”   
  
“I was scared out of my wits.” James sighed, and Rose reached between them to take his hand. “I didn’t know what was going on, but that wasn’t what I expected.” There was a wonder in his voice, and she remembered that he was a man of science. All of his solid beliefs must be out the window now.    
  
“I mean, volunteerin’ to let me.” Her fingers brushed his wrists. “Well, that. I know it was painful at first.”    
  
James bit back a sigh at her touch, recalling how she’d stroked his skin as the pain turned to pleasure. He couldn’t even remember the painful part anymore. “Yeah, but after was.” He blew out a breath and had to close his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, Rose was hiding her face in her hands. “What, hey, what’s wrong?”    
  
“Nothing.” She lowered them enough so the light from the ensuite showed her eyes. “‘S just, ‘ve never fed and not glamoured someone after. Knowing it’s pleasurable, and hearing it hours later is well....” James knew if she could blush she would be, because his cheeks were burning.    
  
“Sorry, didn’t mean to embarrass you.” James offered her an apologetic smile, as Rose’s eyes locked with his. “But there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s natural right?”    
  
“Yeah.” Rose wasn’t embarrassed that he’d gotten off on her bit. More people than she could count had. It was just she had enjoyed him doing it, something she’d only bothered to acknowledge a handful of times over the last two hundred years. To top it all off, he seemed to be taking everything beyond amazing. That only made him a thousand times more attractive, but she couldn’t act on that. He was human, mortal, maybe fifty or sixty years left in this world.    
  
James watched Rose as she was lost in whatever thoughts she had. He couldn’t even begin to wonder what they were, but every so often her eyes drifted to his lips and he began to understand. He knew it was a risk, for both of them, but after last night he couldn’t deny that he had been growing more and more attracted to her. It had been a simple, typical, just met type of crush, but now that he knew the truth he was in awe at the miracle, a term he rarely got to use, she was. He was probably overthinking it himself, as he contemplated how she would react. Would she do that glamouring thing or simply reject him? What if she didn’t do either? Drawing a breath, he moved, closing the small gap between them.    
  
Rose gasped in surprise as his lips met hers. It was a soft, hesitant thing, a soft press as he waited for her to react. She wanted to, wanted to thread her fingers through his perfect brown hair. Her hands trailed up his chest as he lifted over her just a bit, his lips pulling at her bottom one. Then her fingers brushed the pulse point in his neck, and she wrenched herself away with a groan. “Stop!”   
  
Instantly James pulled back, her strangled groan making his heart drop. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I thought you-“    
  
“I did, I do.” Rose rolled away from him, hands covering her face, hiding it from him. Regret filled his chest as she pushed herself up, back to him. “James, we can’t.”    
  
“Right. Well.” He flopped back onto the pillow, feeling every bit the idiot for making the move. “Was stupid of me. I shouldn’t have done it.” Of course she wouldn’t be willing to cross that line of their friendship. Rose wouldn’t be interested in a human that way, as made obvious by her rejection.    
  
“James, I want to, but we can’t okay.” Rose pushed herself to her feet, crossing to the lights and flicking them on. She leaned against the wall, watching as he blinked at the sudden change. She couldn’t ignore that he looked amazing reclining against her pillows, lips shining from the brief kiss. She also couldn’t ignore the way she could hear the pulse of his heart even at this distance. “‘M sorry.”    
  
“I understand.” James could plainly see the way Rose was looking at him. Emotions were warring over her face, and he pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. “Because you’re practically immortal, and I’m not.” That was the basic reason he could think of, and her sigh confirmed it.    
  
“That’s part of it.” Rose crossed her arms over her chest, the resignation but understanding on his face making her fight back to urge to push him back to the pillows. Instead, she picked a statement she knew would probably repulse him. “‘Ve got to get dressed for my client at eight.” She nodded at the door. “Once ‘m in the shower, you can go grab some dinner.” Forcing herself not to look at him, though she really wanted to, Rose crossed to the ensuite and shut the door behind her.    
  
James sighed as Rose effectively ended the conversation. He pushed himself to his feet, grabbing his mobile. It’d been a stupid move, but he’d been so caught up in the moment. It hurt that she didn’t want to talk about it, and he had a feeling he’d be getting evicted by tomorrow. He hoped not though, because he genuinely enjoyed living with her. Even before last night, they had easily fallen into a friendship. He would find a way to make it up to Rose, but for now, he had to talk to Jack.   
  
  



	11. Chapter 11

“Let me get this straight.” James laughed in disbelief as he ruffled his hair. “You were born a werewolf?” Jack had answered his call, appearing with pizza shortly after Rose had left. “Not bitten.” He hadn’t delved much into the fantasy genre in years, his preference being science fiction, but he knew the old myths as well as anyone.    
  
“Yeah, my parents were both weres.” Jack nodded, lifting his beer to his lips with a shrug. “It can be passed by bite, but it requires multiple exposures. If I nipped someone once or twice during the full moon, they’d mostly run a risk of tetanus.” Swallowing his drink, Jack sighed. “Turning someone is strictly outlawed now. Get caught doing it, and.” He mimed being shot in the head.    
  
“Okay, so what else is out there?” James felt like his head was ready to explode. Jack had already given him the basics on his pack, vampires, and witches. He’d said his knowledge on vampires was mostly second hand or what he’d learned from Rose, and from what he gathered, she was what was labeled a ‘progressive vamp’. “Hang on, the woman with the foxtail-“   
  
“Justine, yeah. She’s a shifter.” Jack chuckled. “A shapeshifter, that is. Her go to form is a red fox, but she can become any animal. The guy with the wings, Opherion, he’s an air faery.”    
  
James recalled a vague hazy memory of his first night at the bar, the tattooed woman who had asked him his name. Jack had been mad at her. “First night in the bar, that woman with silver hair.” He rubbed his temples trying to remember her name, but it eluded his grasp.    
  
“Säde, yeah, a forest faery. She’s young, comes in every now and then trying to lure a new plaything home.” Jack snorted as he sat his beer down. “Faeries can be tricky, always a double edged sword. Never tell them your name, never eat or drink anything they give you, and never tell them thank you in any way. Keep iron on hand, even like a coin or nail, counteracts their magic.”    
  
“And silver hurts weres and vampires?” James remembered how sick Rose had been, how both her and Jack’s skin had blistered.    
  
“Shifters too. We don’t understand why, so don’t ask me to explain. But all the other myths about garlic, mirrors, and holy water, yeah, lies fabricated to make it easier to blend in.” Jack smiled, kicking his feet up on the coffee table and draping an arm over the back of the couch. “Bout the only thing that doesn’t exist is Santa, Bigfoot, and the yeti.”    
  
“Nessie?” James threw it out without thinking. He knew it was a long shot, but why the hell not? The rest seemed just as improbable.    
  
“The Irving clan.” Jack’s laugh made James groan in surprise, though honestly he should have seen it coming. “One of the oldest shifter families in Scotland. Nessie doesn’t technically exist, just once or twice a year, one of the Irvings shifts into this species of extinct water dragon and swims around.”   
  
“Wait, dragons were real?” James pulled at his hair in exasperation as he tried to wrap his mind around it all. If he hadn’t lived Rose’s near death before, he wouldn’t believe it.    
  
“Are, not were.” Jack flashed him a a mischievous smile, but quickly followed with. “No wild ones though. They’re kept in hidden reservation type areas now, pretty docile unless you mess with their clutch.”   
  
James cast a glance at his watch. It was quarter to ten, and Rose wasn’t back yet. He tried to keep his disappointment at that hidden. “So, this is why you set those weird rules for me at the bar like silver ring, going by Doctor, and drinking out of iron steins?”    
  
“Well, you’re my friend. Couldn’t tell you the reason unless you figured it out yourself.” Jack lifted his beer bottle and gestured with it airily. “Sort of the unspoken rule of our world. Officially, now, you’re under protection as friend of the pack, so most of the folks should leave you alone.”    
  
“What do you mean, most?” James wasn’t sure whether to feel safe at being considered under Jack’s pack’s protection, or to be worried that he needed protection to begin with.    
  
“Well, weres are sort of the muscle of the supernatural world. Most won’t cross us, but vampires, especially older vamps, are stronger.” Jack took a long drink before smiling wryly. “Yes, I just admitted that Rose could kick my ass. The stray witch or warlock can cast a spell or use a potion to weaken us. Just, don’t go around asking questions.”    
  
“Now, you know ‘ve got like a gazillion more.” James chuckled at that. He honestly did have more than he could even process. “It would be easier if there were books, real books, not the stuff you guys let get published, so I could learn.” He had a sneaking suspicion that it would be easy to slip up and offend someone if he didn’t know who was what.    
  
“I’ll see what I can dig up.” Jack put his empty beer down and leaned back into the couch again. “First, why did Rose call and ask to work a shift tonight. She never asks for shifts.”    
  
James felt his cheeks flush as he sighed and ran his hands over his face. “Because, bumbling idiot that I am, I kissed her this morning.” The look of shock on Jack’s face made the guilty feeling quadruple. “We were laying in bed, talking, and I just thought.” Remembering how Rose had initially kissed him back before pulling away burned his lips.   
  
“What’d she do?” Jack sounded somewhere between impressed and surprised. James wasn’t sure which was worse. “Did she kiss you back?”    
  
“Yep.” James watched as a pleased look crossed Jack’s face, which he quickly destroyed with. “Then she said we can’t. She wants it, I’m sure, but she isn’t letting herself. Is it because I’m human. Do vampires not find humans attractive or...” he let his voice trail off with a sigh. He honestly did like Rose, even when he thought she was an escort he had found himself drawn to her quirky smile and wry humor.   
  
“Vampires do find humans attractive.” Jack chuckled. “There’s three possible scenarios for humans that survive a relation with a vampire.” He raised a finger as James felt himself perk up at that bit of news. “One, you have a few nights or weeks or months of the best sex of your life and end up being glamoured into forgetting it. Two, the vampire watches you grow old and eventually die, leaving them alone. Three, the vampire turns you.” He lowered his hand and shrugged. “Any of those sound like something Rose would be okay with?”    
  
James opened his mouth to respond but quickly closed it. He knew enough of Rose, judging by Jack’s face, to know she wouldn’t be okay with any of those options. “I’m an idiot.”    
  
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself.” Jack reached over and clapped his knee. “You’re not the only one she’s turned down in this room.” Well that wasn’t really a surprise. He’d had a suspicion Jack had tried to sweet talk his way into Rose’s bed, but he wasn’t jealous. He highly doubted many people over the years had managed it.    
  
“Wish there were some way I could make it up to her.” James sighed. He hated feeling like he had upset her or made things uncomfortable.    
  
“She didn’t glamour you afterwards.” Jack said it like he just realized it. “She could easily have made you forget the kiss.” There was a sly smile creeping over his face as he looked at James. “Take that for what it’s worth.”    
  
The guilt eased just a bit, making James’ smile mirror Jack’s. He was right. If Rose wasn’t really okay with it, then he wouldn’t be having this conversation to begin with. She wanted him to remember it, and if that was the case he was going to wait for her to make the next move. “You, Jack Harkness, are a genius.”    
  



	12. Chapter 12

Over the nearly three weeks since the silver poisoning, Rose had half expected James to continue pursuing her. It took her a week to admit she was hoping he would, but she’d never say it out loud. Yet, he hadn’t, not blatantly at least. There had been subtle hints, compliments on her attire, lingering peripheral glances when he was up late grading papers and she was curled up at the other end of the sofa reading or painting her nails, sweet smiles as he told her to be safe, and a handful of hugs when she made it in while he was eating breakfast.    
  
Honestly, Rose felt his respect for her decision increased her attraction to him even more. At first she tried to pawn her feelings off to the fact that he was the first  absolutely normal human in over a hundred years she’d fed on without glamouring, that the idea she could just be herself without judgement was drawing her in. Then she tried to tell herself it was because he had saved her life, a courtesy nobody outside of Jack would have ever done. Yet, the more she tried to find excuses, the harder it became to resist the urge to reach over and card her fingers through that really, great hair, or bury her face into his shoulder during a hug and place a kiss against his neck. Now, however, those desires overshadowed the yearning to crawl onto his lap and taste him again.    
  
It was confusing for her, which didn’t happen often. It was so confusing, in fact, that she hadn’t even comprehended the last three paragraphs she had been reading. She cast a glance towards the kitchen, where James was cooking his late dinner. She had already been out for hers, and since it was a full moon, Torchwood was closed. That had left her with nothing to do except some shopping or reading. She couldn’t help but send a silent thanks to whatever tailor that man used, because those dress slacks fit around his bum so perfectly.    
  
“Rose, did you hear me?” James’ words made Rose jerk out of her observation.    
  
“Sorry, what?” Rose closed her book and turned on the sofa so she was properly facing the kitchen.    
  
“I asked where you used to live, back before well.” He gestured over his shoulder, and Rose could hear the sounds and smell the scent of him obviously frying himself some chips.    
  
“Um, well, the area isn’t far from here actually. Where the Powell estates are located.” Rose shrugged at the question. He had asked random ones occasionally since he had found out, no different than anyone would ask a regular person. “My dad, Peter, was a sort of jack of all trades until he died, and my mum, Jacqueline, worked from home as a seamstress.”    
  
“Were you already vampire when he died?” James looked back at her with a raised eyebrow before turning back to his cooking.   
  
“No, I was sixteen when he died.” Some things didn’t fade, like seeing your father stumbling in the kitchen door at quarter of midnight with knife wounds and a bullet hole in his stomach. Her mum had been in the other room trying to get baby Antony to sleep, and Rose could still remember he scream as she came in to find her daughter cradling her lifeless husband in her lap. “He, um, he had taken some loans from the wrong sort, ya know. Couldn’ pay em back. Left me, mum, ‘n Tony behind to fend for ourselves.” She wiped at her eyes, as they stung and blurred red. She had gotten over it, mostly, but sometimes the trauma of that night caught her off guard.   
  
“You were a daddy’s girl.” Rose looked up, finding James had completely turned his back to the stove and was watching her. “You’ve talked about your mum and brother before, your accent never changed.”    
  
Of course he’d noticed something like that. Rose had worked hard to adopt a more proper personage over the years. “Yeah, I was. He was my hero, no matter what the other kids said. If he hadn’t died, I’d never have become, well...” She tapped her upper lip with a sigh.  Those were memories she really didn’t want to get into, because some nightmares people never recovered from.    
  
“Right, we, uh, we don’t have to talk about it.” James turned quickly, obviously catching on how much the memories were effecting her. Even through the old, drudged up sadness, Rose saw what happened before she could move.    
  
James’ elbow collided with the handle of the small pot he was frying the chips in, and it flew up. Hot grease splattered across his arms and chest, making him howl in pain as he stumbled back. Rose smelled the burning skin before she saw it, and she was on her feet.    
  
“James!” Dashing into the kitchen, she turned off the stove, ignoring the burning on her bare feet as it would heal, grabbed him by waist, and dragged him away from the mess. Nasty blisters were already forming, as she eased him to the couch. “Take off your shirt!” She didn’t even wait for him to respond, ripping it and the undershirt he had on open so quickly the buttons flew across the room and eased it down his arms. Angry red splotches were forming on his chest, neck, and face. “Damn it.” She gently stroked her fingers along one of them.   
  
“That bad?” James hissed, wincing at her touch. “A trip to the hospital was not in my plans for this weekend.”    
  
“This’ll   
take weeks to heal properly.” Rose had seen what grease burns could do both before and after she had turned.   
  
“I’ve had plenty of burns before.” James lifted an arm, grimacing as he took it in. “Um, can you drive me?”    
  
Rose spoke before she realized what she was saying. “I can heal you.” The confusion on his face nearly won out over the pain. She hadn’t expanded on what her blood was capable of. “Just, um, there may be some side effects.” She hadn’t ever given someone her blood fresh from the vein. Not waiting for his response, as he was groaning in lain again, Rose dropped her fangs and bit into her wrist. “Drink.” She urged, lifting her wrist to his mouth. Already she could feel the wounds beginning to close.    
  
“Rose, no. You said you didn’t want-“   
  
“Drink or spend the next few weeks in pain, damn it.” She shifted closer to him, cradling his neck with a palm. “Before it closes!”    
  
To her relief, he lowered his lips to her and took a long draw. Rose hadn’t shared blood with anyone like this since she was with her sire, and she had forgotten the rush of pleasure it brought. Electricity coursed through her veins as James sucked again, letting out a shaky sigh. Long forgotten sensations tingled in her thighs as his hands came up to hold her arm in place. To her delight, she could already see some of the lesser burns begin to fade. Then his chocolate eyes flicked up at her with his third swallow, and Rose whimpered as she felt the pain inside of him begin to burn another way.   
  
James had been slightly repulsed at the idea of drinking blood, but the urgency in her voice and the promise of immediate relief had his lips closing. The taste had been odd at first, thicker than his own blood, slightly sweeter, with a wild burn to it like a top shelf liquor. The second mouthful had wiped the disgust from his mind as he felt electric sparks begin to light up his tongue and throat. It made him groan in delight and eagerly take a third swallow. Glancing up, he found Rose watching him with wide eyes and parted lips, her fangs visible in a way that was all too alluring. That’s when the burning began to change from pain on his skin to desire in his core.    
  
Closing his eyes, he tried to fight against the impulses running through him, but Rose’s whimper only made them stronger. He looked back up at her again, surprised to find her own eyes closed and head tilted back as she clutched at his shoulder. For a moment he was afraid she was in pain, but then her eyes met his and he could see she was as far from pain as possible. He sighed in disappointment as she eased her wrist from his lips and fingers. The yearning inside of him didn’t abate when she did it, if anything what happened next intensified it.   
  
“Easy, not too much.” Rose’s voice was low and husky as she raised her wrist to her own lips, and he watched in heated fascination as she expertly licked her skin clean. He let his own tongue trail across his lips, catching what was left there. Her eyes, watched every motion as her lips pulled up in a sultry smile.    
  
“That tasted amazing.” James couldn’t begin to describe how he felt. It was as if he was keenly aware of his skin healing at a pace his mind could almost calculate. His sense of smell seemed to have been increased ten fold, and his vision was impeccably clear. He could make out every single strand of Rose’s hair and each pore on his arm as he lifted his hand to stroke her face. To his pleasant surprise, her lips turned into his palm and pressed there gently. The cool brush was like a stoking of what was going on inside of him.    
  
“Damn it.” She groaned, and before he could ask why she had said it, Rose was straddling his lap. “I should’ve taken you to the hospital.” He was about to protest that he felt amazing when her lips met his.    
  
He was surprised at the way she had initiated after her protests, but she didn’t seem to be protesting now. In fact, she was running her fingers through his hair, sending more of that delicious electric feelings shooting through his veins. James tangled one of his hands into her hair and gripped her hip with the other. Her teeth pulled at his lower lip, making him groan in delight. His head was spinning, like he was drunk, but with everything enhanced instead of impaired. “What is.” He managed to gasp, as she pulled away for a moment to trail her lips along his jaw. “Going on?”    
  
“Side effects.” Rose hummed, pulling away to gaze down at him, her already sultrily shadowed eyes sparkling at him invitingly. “Temporarily your senses will be increased, probably for three or four days, and your um.” Her lip caught between her teeth as she looked down with a sharp intake of breath. “Libido will be increased.”    
  
“Well.” James had to keep his hands still, as the urge to pull her down and forward was almost overwhelming. “Are there any permanent ones.”    
  
Rose’s swallow was audible as she nodded. “I didn’t think it would, because it doesn’t normally happen during injuries.” He didn’t push her, choosing instead to run his fingers along her skin, marveling at how he could feel each of the individual, fine hairs. “I claimed you. ‘M sorry.”    
  
“What’s that mean?” James reached her neck, curling his fingers around it to gently lower her lips back to his for a kiss. He sighed in delight as she conceded, lowering herself fully against him.    
  
“I’ll be able to feel when you’re in pain, afraid, or other strong emotions.” Rose’s voice was strained, and her words were followed by her tongue grazing his lips. “And some species will be able to smell it, sort of marking my territory if you will.” James processed what she said, but the feeling of her against him was distracting. “Sorry, ‘s hard to focus right now. I can feel you.” Her hips rocked slightly, making him groan at the friction.    
  
“Yes it is.” James couldn’t stop his voice from going up an octave as her lips brushed along his neck. Rose’s deep inhale and subsequent shiver and whimper made him buck up against her. He couldn’t feel her emotions, but he knew what she wanted, why she was holding herself so still. “Do it.” He whispered, his own body trembling in anticipation.    
  
“No.” Rose pulled back, crawling off of his lap and standing. He felt the rejection and disappointment deep inside of him until she extended a hand with a surprisingly shy and nervous smile. “Come downstairs.” James never thought he had moved so quickly in his life.    
  
  
  
  



	13. Chapter 13

Rose didn’t care at this point that this was a bad idea. It had been so long that she had felt any sort of connection beyond that of mere friends or the rare lust. Denying her feelings had been so much easier when she couldn’t feel James’, and what she had felt coming from him was beyond the primal human lust. He genuinely liked her, wanted her, and she couldn’t  pretend she didn’t feel the same.   
  
James scooped her off her feet  as soon as they reached the carpeted floor of her basement, his bare chest warm through her shirt as their lips met in another heated kiss. She could still taste herself on his tongue, and the heat she felt as he bit at her lower lip had her trembling in delight. She giggled as he half tossed her onto the bed and quickly pounced so he was pinning her to the sheets. She needed to be sure, to know that he wasn’t just acting on her blood coursing in his veins. “You know I can’t stop what I do, James.”   
  
“You have to feed.” James words were understanding as his hands trailed down her sides, pushing up the tshirt she was wearing so his fingers brushed her skin. “Long as all you do is drink from them.” His eyes met hers, breaths coming in quick succession.   
  
“Promise.” Rose fisted her hands in his hair, pulling him down to her eagerly. Their lips met again and the playful ones from their trip down the stairs had turned to hungry, frantic need. She ran her hands a down his neck to his back, sighing as he slotted himself between her thighs and pushed her tshirt up. She let him slide it off, thankful she had stripped out of her sexier underthings when she came home.   
  
Rose bit back a curse of delight as his tongue flicked across the sensitive skin of her breasts, and she arch into him as his lips closed around it. The heat from his tongue was magnificent, making her whimper in pleasure as he cupped the other with a perfect squeeze. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered, as he released her and met her eyes. The growing dampness between her thighs only grew as he smirked that smug way he occasionally did and began kissing down her abdomen. “Inside and out.”   
  
Normally, when Rose let herself engage in such pleasures, she preferred to be the one in charge, but all she could do was watch as his tongue trailed along her hip bone. His eyes rendered her incapable of doing more than remembering to breathe as he hooked his fingers into the waist band of the workout shorts she had pulled on. She lifted her hips as he pulled them down and tossed them over his shoulder. “You’re perfect too.” She finally managed to whisper, as he broke from her gaze to slowly take in her entire body. “Tired of fightin’ it, pretending I don’ want you.”   
  
“So am I.” James could hear the sincerity in her voice as he lowered himself between her legs again. She was just like he had imagined, since the last time she’d been naked he hadn’t really taken to time to admire her. He had wondered, during his moments of weakness when alone in the house, if she would have the same responses as other women, and he was pleased to find the glistening on her curls indicating how much she wanted this, wanted him.   
  
Biting back his groan of approval, he met her eyes again and lowered his lips so his tongue could push in and part her folds. She had that same sweet, wild taste as her blood, and he eagerly caught it on his tongue as he dragged it up to swirl around the waiting bud at the apex of her fold. Rose’s mewl of pleasure was accompanied by her hands in his hair, and he smiled as he repeated it. Chuckling, he caught the sensitive bundle of nerves between his lips, sucking gently, and making her buck up as her fingers tightened against his scalp. His own body flexed in response, pressing against the tight material of his boxers and trousers.   
  
Rose resisted the urge to squeeze her legs around his head as James’ talented tongue flicked and swirled and laved glorious attention to her body. “Yes! More!” It had been so long since she had even pleasured herself, that she could barely keep her eyes open. Closing them would have been a loss, because every so often James would glance up at her with that eyebrow arched, and it only added to the ecstasy dancing inside of her.   
  
His fingers trailed along her thighs, leaving fire in their wake as she felt his pulse against her skin, and her struggle to watch was lost as one hand dipped down and he slid a finger inside of her at the same time he gave a swirling press with his tongue. Tossing her head back into the pillow, Rose bucked against him. She scraped her nails against his scalp with a hand, as he curled that finger up and began circular thrusts in time to his tongue. Her other hand twisted the sheets, pulling at them as she cried out her delight.   
  
A second finger joined, and the way they filled her, stroking, stretching as James closed his lips around her sensitive bud and began to flick it with his tongue between linger sucks had Rose trembling, she was close, so close. The coil deep in her belly and thighs began to tighten, and when James began making possessive sounding growls and sighs she lifted her head and forced her eyes open. Finding him watching, eyes heavy lidded and full of pleasure, did it. The coil snapped and Rose found herself soaring over the ledge.   
  
James grinned as he slid his fingers from her, as Rose cried his name and lifted off of the sheets. As aroused as he was, that had nearly triggered his own release, so he quickly pulled away to shed the rest of his clothes and kiss his way back up her trembling body. “That was beautiful.” He sighed, catching her lips with his. Rose’s reaction was just what he wanted, legs curling around his waist as she eagerly parted her lips for their tongues to meet.   
  
“Need you.” Rose whispered, her fingers scratching along the short hairs at the nape of his neck. James wasn’t about to deny her anything, and reaching between them, he positioned himself at her entrance.   
  
“Look at me.” James kissed her forehead, waiting for those whiskey colored eyes to meet his, and once they did he took her in a long, slow, thrust. She was so tight and wet, but the cool sensation made him shiver. Pulling back, he thrust again, moaning in pleasure as Rose rocked up to meet him. Her lips grazed along his shoulder, tongue brushing the skin occasionally as he found his rhythm.   
  
Rose moved with him, fingers scratching lightly at his back as he braced himself over her with one hand and trailed the other along every inch of skin he could find. She loved how perfect he felt over her, inside of her. His pulse pounded under his skin, and it took expert control to not just give in to the temptation. “May I?” She murmured into his neck, giggling at the way his thrusts faltered for a moment before resuming.   
  
“Please.” James groaned, and she let her fangs snap down as he dropped to his forearms over her. She curled her tongue along his skin, finding the perfect spot, and with a groan of her own she bit down as he thrust in.   
  
Carefully Rose sipped, drawing short swallows in time to his thrusts. His growl of approval made his chest vibrate against hers, and to her pleasure he pulled at her shoulder with his own teeth. His blood was heady with the taste of her, his desire, and that sweet spark of life she couldn’t deny she had fantasized about since the first time she’d drank from him.   
  
This close, this connected through her claim, she could feel how much he was enjoying it all. She gave in to the pleasure that feeding brought, not fighting the way it aroused her for the first time in decades.   All of it had her dancing dangerously close to the edge again, and she let out a throaty growl as she felt his teeth break the skin at her shoulder.   
  
James hadn’t ever felt anything so intense, the pleasure her bite brought threatened to undo him almost immediately, but he fought it. He felt her fluttering around him as she drank, each sting of her nails in his skin like bolts of unimagined ecstasy. He needed something, to do anything to give back to her what he was feeling. The hazy image of her face in the living room spurred him on, and when the cool taste of her sparked onto his tongue he felt her explode around him.   
  
Rose’s cry of release was muffled, but everything tightened around him, her arms, her lips, her legs, and her slick velvet as he gave a hard thrust. The tension low in his body coiled to near breaking point, and Rose gave a sensuous suck as her tongue pressed against his skin. Lifting his head from her shoulder he snapped. “Rose!” The gasp of her name was strangled as he held himself inside of her, his release hitting him like a supernova.   
  
His pulse roared in his ears as his heart pounded, every muscle in his body trembling, shaking from the intensity of it as he gasped for air. Stars danced across his eyes as the world spun, and vaguely he registered being pushed onto his back as he let his mind come floating down from the clouds.   
  
Rose smiled as James lay panting underneath her as she sprawled across his chest. She loved how flushed he looked, how his eyelids seemed too heavy to lift. Gingerly she licked her blood from his chin and used her tongue to spread it across the punctures she’d left on his neck. The tiny wounds would heal, but the red mark surrounding them would be there for a while. “Earth to the Doctor.” She giggled, resting her palms on his chest to settle her chin on them. She felt good, better than she had in years. He had known exactly what she needed, with no prompting, and was still shivering in delight at the intensity of both her climaxes.   
  
“Shhh, not ready for atmospheric reentry yet.” He chuckled, firm hands coming up to pat her rear. One eye opened, that silly grin she adored on him spreading across his face. “Blimey woman, I don’t think I can move.”   
  
“Mmm, not even if I tempt you with a whirlpool bath?” Rose’s teasing voice made James open both eyes and lift his head. It was a glorious view, seeing her mussed hair, smeared makeup, and red stained lips. He squeezed the supple skin where her thighs began, wondering when he became so used to someone feeling so cool. “The water will warm me up, almost to match you.” Those cute manicured fingers drummed against his chest, and the coy smile on her lips had him stirring again already. “Increased libido, oh and did I mention stamina?”   
  
“Figured that one out myself.” James laughed, flipping Rose over and pinning her wrists by her head. He felt amazing, stronger, like he could stop a bus if he tried, not that he would. “Usually covered in sweat by now. Will it always be like this?”   
  
“It can be.” Rose’s teeth pulled at his lip playfully. “But sometime I want to do this when you’re, well you.” James sighed as her foot trailed down his bare calf, his almost vibrating as if they recognized her touch. “But for now, how ‘bout that bath?”   
  
“Sounds wonderful.” James decided he could, indeed, move, and made a show of it but half jumping from the bed, scooping Rose up, and draping her over his shoulder as she laughed and braced her hands against his back.


	14. Chapter 14

“Hey stranger.” Miranda’s smile was light as James slid onto a stool in front of the bar. It was pretty empty, but for a Wednesday night Rose had said that wouldn’t be uncommon. “What’ll ya have?”    
  
“That beer you gave me last time.” James smiled back, checking his watch. It was a quarter past ten, which mean Rose would be coming in soon. “Was really good.”    
  
“I’m pretty good at telling what people like.” Miranda chuckled, grabbing a glass and sliding it under the tap. “So you’re in the know now huh?” She shook her hair back, leaning against the bar as she slid him his drink.   
  
“Yep.” James lifted a shoulder as he took a sip. “Sort of mind boggling really. Being a scientist and all, I had the world pretty much in a nice box. Then, pew.” He mimed something blowing up and chuckled. “Box gone.”   
  
“Yeah well, imagine being away for sleep away camp during the first full moon after your first period.” Miranda shook her head, her own wry smirk twitching her lips as she spoke. “My tent mate thought she was having a nightmare, they had search parties out looking for me til Mum and Dad showed up, and they were just like ‘well, your sister didn’t inherit the gene so we thought you wouldn’t either.’”    
  
“That must have been terrifying.” James could relate. His exposure to the world hadn’t exactly been a nice sit down chat. “Mine was pretty intense, as I’m sure you’re aware.”    
  
“No, Jack didn’t go into detail, just said there was an incident with Rose.” Miranda’s smile changed, as she crossed her arms and leaned heavily in the bar. James didn’t even notice what she was doing, or the way her cleavage showed from the deep neck of her top, until she spoke again. “Now that you do know, maybe we can go out sometime. I can show you how a wolf parties.”    
  
“Sorry.” James felt his cheeks flush as he tried to look anywhere but her face. “I’m taken. Don’t think my lady would be okay with us ‘partying’.”    
  
The sound of Miranda taking a long inhale made him freeze, staring pointedly at a poster about half a foot to her right. “Oh, gods above she claimed you.” The disgust in her voice made his eyes snap back, and she had pushed herself up and away from the bar as she rolled her eyes. “Here I thought you were better than being a that blood whore’s feed bag.”   
  
“Excuse me!” James felt the anger rising up in him, but before he could finish, Miranda was in the air by her throat and Rose was baring her fangs at her.    
  
“The Doctor isn’t a feed bag, you bigoted bitch.” Rose sneered, as Miranda clawed at her hands and started turning red. “Call me a whore all you want, but don’t you dare insult him, pup.” She dropped her to the floor, glowering at her with a feral growl. “Now get the fuck out.”    
  
James half expected Miranda to fight back, but instead she scrambled to her feet and fled. He also expected the bar to be staring, but nobody seemed to have noticed. He was a bit shocked that Rose had acted so brazenly, as he never condoned violence, but a part of him was a bit impressed at how she had come to his defense. “I take it feed bag is a bad insult.”    
  
“Probably the worse you can be called.” She rolled her eyes, fangs disappearing as she did. “Basically the equivalent of calling you my slave, which is so not the case.” Rose finally let a smile dance across her face, as always, it made his heart do a little skip. “If you were a feed bag, I wouldn’t have let you taste me, any part of me.” Her voice dropped to that sultry tone, and James felt his cheeks flush as she stripped out of the coat she wore to blend in. The pale pink and black corset revealed enough to make his body begin to twitch in response.    
  
“How come you never wear things like that for me?” He was curious. Usually she was conveniently naked underneath whatever clothes she had on at home.    
  
“Because I don’t want to wear my work clothes for you.” Rose’s fingers brushed his arm, as she leaned against the bar top and monitored the small crowd. “But, if you like, I can buy things that are for your eyes only.”    
  
“That sounds promising.” James chuckled, snagging her hands and raising her fingers to his lips. He could care less that she was technically working. They only got a few hours together a day, and he wasn’t about to waste the ones tonight.    
  
“Well that explains why Miranda’s pissed.” Jack’s voice made them both jerk and look over to where he was coming out of the back hall. “Or it may be the finger-shaped red marks on her throat.”    
  
“She called Rose a whore and me a feed bag.” James released Rose’s hand, feeling irritation that Rose had been insulted. “After I turned down her offer to ‘party’.” He made air quotes before picking up his beer.    
  
“I’ll talk with her.” Jack seemed a bit uneasy, as if sure not sure he should say whatever was on his mind. That was a look James was not used to, and it made his instincts flare up. “Listen, Gwen just got a call asking to know if he could rent out the bar for a birthday party on Friday.” That didn’t seem so bad. “When we asked who for and if any special accommodations needed to be made, he said your birthday Rose. I thought your birthday was in April.”   
  
“It is, April twenty-sev-“ James had never seen Rose go so still in the time he had known her, not even when she was sleeping. It was like someone had turned her to stone. “What was his name?”   
  
“Harold Saxon.” At Jack’s words, Rose groaned and covered her face. James wanted to hop over the bar to take her arm, but Rose visibly shuddered and backed farther away from them.    
  
“Rose, love, what’s the matter?” He finally realized what the look on her face was, fear. It was utter and complete fear. “Rose, answer me. Who is Harold and why is he planning your birthday in November?” As her eyes met his, wide and terrified, his mind made the connection. “It’s not your human birthday is it? It’s the day you were made.”    
  
“Jack I need to go. I’m sorry, but I need to get James home right now.” Rose grabbed her Jacket, lifting the pass through up and waving James over. “Have someone drop his car off after sunrise.”    
  
“Rose, what’s going on?” James and Jack spoke in unison, but Rose shook her head as she took James’s arm.    
  
“Book the party, make sure only your pack staffs it, no humans even witches.” Rose called over as James stumbled along behind her.    
  
“Rose, what the hell is going on?” He tried to stop her, but that was like trying to stop a truck. “Are you in danger?”   
  
“Not yet.” The lights of her car beeped and she pointed at the passenger side. “Get in. I’ll explain some on the drive.”    
  
James had barely gotten his seat belt on before Rose was already on the road. He had never ridden with her before, but if anyone else had been driving like she was, he’d be worried about wrecking. “Harold’s your maker, isn’t he?” He had basically figured that out, but her sudden quietness and fear needed explaining.    
  
“Yeah, and let’s just say our last encounter wasn’t exactly friendly.” Rose sighed, barely making it through a light before it turned red. “I sort of tried to kill him.”    
  
“And he wants to throw you a party?” James didn’t know much about vampires outside of the tidbits Rose told him, but he didn’t think attempted murder went over well, in any species.   
  
“He hasn’t contacted me since nineteen fifty-three.” Rose made a rude noise as they got stuck in a line for a light. “When I was living in Glasgow. There’s no telling what’s going through his twisted mind.”   
  
“So why couldn’t we talk about this at-“    
  
“Because I need to do something at home, if he isn’t already there.” Rose cut him off. It seemed like they had reached their road in record time. She tensed for a moment, eyes going glazed for a heartbeat. “Good, he isn’t here.”    
  
“You can feel him if he’s close?” James got his answer in a nod as she threw the car in park and scrambled out. She was still in panic mode, which made him go into high alert. All in all, he felt a bit powerless. Even if there was danger, it wouldn’t be something he could fight. Nothing happened as they darted into the house, and by the time James made it in, Rose was a blur as she came out of the basement holding an envelope and an old style pen. “Rose calm down!”    
  
Rose didn’t answer, opening the envelope and jabbing the sharp metal pen into her wrist and scrawling her blood across the paper. As he drew closer to where she was by the counter, James saw it was a deed for the house, the kind that indicates a new owner. Rose’s blood was on the seller line. “Sign here, and immediately invite me to stay.”    
  
James wasn’t sure what was going on, but he took the regular pen she seemed to have plucked from thin air and signed on the purchaser line. As soon as he lifted it, Rose began to whine and slide across the carpet towards the door. “I invite Rose Tyler to stay in my home!” Immediately she stopped sliding, and her fear reduced by just a bit. “Hang on, did you just give me your house? Why?”    
  
“Because a vampire can’t enter living person’s residence without an invitation.” Rose grabbed a dish towel, wiping her arm. “Seems stupid, how a little piece of paper can give or take power away, but it works.” She tossed the towel away, and to his surprise, she crossed her arms as if cold. Red liquid began filling her eyes, and James tossed the pen down to pull her into a tight hug. “Do not answer the door at night, ever. Don’t go anywhere after dark unless I’m with you. Promise me.”    
  
“I promise, Rose.” James squeezed her as she buried her face in his chest, shivering all over. He had always been curious about how she was made, but he never asked. He figured she would tell him when she was ready. They had only been bonded for two weeks.    
  
“James, can we go take a hot bath?” Rose pulled back, and his heart broke a little as he saw a few of her red tears leaking down her face. “I have a lot to tell you, and I’d prefer to do it somewhere you can hold me.”    
  
“Of course.” James kissed her hair, bending just enough to scoop her into his arms. He knew she was an apex predator, the top of the figurative food chain, but he had come to learn that his Rose liked when he was the strong one, the protective one. So he carried her down the stairs to her ensuite and lowered her gently to her feet.    
  
Heart pounding in anticipation for the story he was about to hear, James turned on the water, filling it with the scented bubbles she liked best. By the time he had stripped down, she was already bare, waiting for him to step into the tub. So he did, leaving a space for her to rest her back to his chest and pull his arms around her. “Whatever you hear, just don’t let me go.” James kissed the side of her head, tightening his arms around her. “It started six months before my father was murdered”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning:  
> Mentions of rape  
> Abuse  
> Murder

Rose was thankful that even though James could be quite the chatterbox, he knew exactly when to be quiet and patient. This was one of those times. “So, six months before my father was murdered, he and a friend decided to stop traveling and trying to sell things and open a shop.” She remembered how excited she had been, how he had promised her once everything was set up, she’d be allowed to work there too. “They didn’t have all of the money needed to stock their wares as well as pay for the storefront, so his friend convinced him to take out a loan.”    
  
That had been something her mother had hated, and it had nearly resulted in them separating. Yet, her father had known that would be worse for everyone all around. “Well, they didn’t have much collateral, so they couldn’t go to a bank. We, my mum and I, never knew where they got the money at first.” Rose heaved a sigh and rested her head back against James’ chest, allowing herself a smile when he kissed her hair. “Turns out it was from a baron named Edward Stone, who was known for his outrages interest rates on loans with no collateral. For the first few months everything was great, but then sales began to taper off.”    
  
Swallowing, she rested her hands on his forearms, steeling herself as she continued on with her story. Even now it was hard to discuss. “My father and his friend weren’t making enough to pay the loan as well as taxes and purchase new items to stock. They decided to try gambling as a way to make more money, but they lost far too much.” It had been reckless decisions, but Rose could never fault her father for how hard he tried to keep the family afloat. “When the men he lost to couldn’t collect financially, they got upset. My father and his friend fought back, when they came to raid the store to recuperate their winnings, and they were both shot and stabbed.”   
  
That was the easy part of the story, because what came next was something she carried with her even now. She knew it would upset him, but he had to know. “I went to work running the shop, and Mum helped some, but Tony was still young so she had to take care of him too.” She felt James nod, his fingers drawing absentminded circles against her stomach as he listened. His simple touch made it so much easier. “Well, we managed that, but for almost two years we barely made ends meet. There were times I went two days without more than bread and cheese so Tony and Mum could eat. Then, Baron Stone passed away.”    
  
Rose closed her eyes, remembering the initial fear and shock and wonder at what happened next. “His son, Jameson, who everyone called Jimmy, he took over and was going around collecting on the loans his dad had made. Mum and I heard he was sending people to debtors prison or worse, and we were terrified.” She paused for a moment, the images of the day clear in her mind. “He visited the shop on my eighteenth birthday. I had heard he was cross, ruthless, but when he spoke to me he was sweet, polite, and completely kind. After reviewing my books and the store, he went to talk to my mum.”   
  
Rose gave a wry chuckle at how she had been fooled, how her mum had been fooled. “When I came home, I expected Mum to tell me we were in trouble, but Jimmy was still there. See, he had a proposition for us.” She felt James tense, as if he knew what was coming. “His wife was sickly, and she wasn’t expected to last the year. So, he offered to forgive our loan and pay off all our other debts, if I would come to the estate to tend his wife until she died, and then to marry him afterwards.”    
  
“And you accepted?” James’ voice was low as he hugged her softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek.    
  
“Of course I did.” Rose blew out a breath, moving her hands down to stroke along his knees. “At first, it was just what I expected. I tended to his wife, Victoria, with basic things like bathing and eating, and things were fine. I had been there three months before things took the bad turns.” She knew what she was about to say would anger James, but he had to know. “Victoria didn’t really speak or recognize anyone much at all, but she must have heard something in one of her lucid moments, because she told me to run away. I thought her mind was going, ya know. Until one evening Jimmy called me down to the stables.”    
  
Rose paused again, it was hard to talk about this even after two hundred years, but he needed to know the whole story. “He wanted to ‘test my knowledge of wifely duties’, which was his way of saying have sex. We weren’t married, and I was a good, respectable girl. That didn’t stop him. When I refused.” She sighed, trying to find the best way to talk about it. “He forced me to do it anyways, and when I tried to fight him off, he beat me into submission.”    
  
“Bastard.” James growled, and Rose felt him jerk behind her. She squeezed his knee, trying to calm him.    
  
“Everyone knew, of course, but they couldn’t do anything. So, it continued on.” Rose shook her head, thinking back on how kind the stable manager had been when he found her, how his wife had gone up to the house to get her clean clothes and tended her wounds. “Three days after Victoria died, I found out I was pregnant. The doctor told Jimmy, of course. He couldn’t have me carrying his child before our wedding, so the morning of the funeral he took me out to the stables like always and beat me in the stomach until I started bleeding. He told me to stay there until he sent someone to fetch me.”    
  
“That could have killed you!” James’ half shout of disbelief made her jump. “If the blood loss didn’t, then infections could-“   
  
“Let me finish, love.” Rose shook her head, reaching up to rub her face. “I stayed there all day, just like he said, crying into the hay. I knew better than to disobey. I passed out, I think. I may have fallen asleep, I don’t remember, but I woke up to someone brushing my hair from my face with cold fingers.” She shuddered at the memory. “And when I opened my eyes, a man, a stranger was crouched next to me. He didn’t ask me what happened, just told me he could take the pain away.”    
  
“Harold?” James whispered the question into her hair, his fingers resuming their soothing circles.   
  
“Yes. I was delirious from the pain and the blood loss, so I didn’t even register the ‘medicine’ he gave me was blood from his wrist.” Rose dropped her hands back into the water. “He told me he was a friend of Jimmy’s father, and there for the funeral. He took me back to the house, and he asked me if it was okay for him to help me inside. I was still recovering, so I didn’t think to ask why he needed permission.”    
  
She paused again, letting her story so far sink into his mind. “Well, Harold became a regular visitor to the house. I didn’t question it, didn’t dare to ask Jimmy about him, but he was far kinder to me than anyone had been. Without fail, after every rape and beating, Harold would appear and heal me. Sometimes he would leave me a message under my pillow to meet me in the woods, and we’d go walking in the dark. He asked why I didn’t just run away, and when I told him it was so my mum and brother wouldn’t end up in debtor’s prison, he said he understood.”    
  
Rose couldn’t help but chuckle at her own stupidity, how she had missed all the signs from a time when monsters were considered real. “Then, small gifts started appearing. A brooch was in my shoe, a necklace would be resting around my neck when I woke up, and flowers would be sitting outside my door when I woke at dawn. I knew they were from him, and slowly I began to realize I was falling in love with him.”    
  
James’ fingers froze. “If you loved him, why are you so afraid of him?”    
  
“Let me finish.” Rose playfully slapped his knee before sighing. “I told him so, and he confessed he was in love with me. He said he wanted to steal me away, but he knew I wouldn’t go because of my family. Then, a week before my wedding, I met him in the woods for one last midnight stroll. Harold asked me, if I could protect my family and still get away from Jimmy and be with him , would I do it?” She drew in a deep breath, mentally beating herself for the millionth time over her stupid mistake. “I said of course I would. He told me to go along with the wedding, and he would arrange for my escape to come after.”    
  
Rose could tell James was bursting with questions, but thankfully he stayed silent. “So I did. I married Jimmy, and in full view of everyone, my wedding gift was him signing and sealing documents releasing my mum from the loan and paying off all other debts.” It had been a relief to actually see him do it, Rose remembered her mum crying because she obviously knew what Rose was going through and couldn’t help. “Three nights after the wedding, when all the guests had finally left. I found a note from Harold tucked in my night dress telling me to leave the window open. It was cold, but I did it anyways. Jimmy came up, drunk as could be, had his way with me and passed out. Eventually I fell asleep, and when I woke up, the house was in chaos.”    
  
She had to admit she had been, and still was, slightly satisfied by what had happened to Jimmy. “A couple of servant came into the room, to check on me, and they told me Jimmy had been found at the bottom of the stairs with his stomach ripped open and his eyes gouged out. Well, while I was trying  to get them calm, Harold came in the window and showed his true self. In full view of them, he grabbed me, bit into my neck, and proceeded to drain me.” Rose sighed, running a hand through her hair. “The last thing I remembered was the servants screaming and Jimmy’s right hand man coming in, and then everything went dark. When I woke up, I was buried in the ground, with Harold clawing us out of the dirt. That’s when he told me how he had saved me, by turning me vampire.”    
  
“Were you scared?” James’ question wasn’t what she expected. Most people who knew asked if it had been weird or crazy.   
  
“Yes, at first, but then I was so hungry, and Harold taught me how to feed.” Rose blew out her breath, cringing internally. “The first few years were a whirlwind of sex and blood. I had never been so free, so powerful, and I won’t lie that I didn’t enjoy it all, the rush, the passion, and the hunt. Then, as I became more and more aware of myself, what I was doing, I took to glamouring instead of killing. Harold didn’t like that, said humans and all other species were beneath us.”    
  
“How long did it take,” James started rubbing her arms, and the contact anchoring her to the present. “Before you left?”   
  
“Almost eighty years. Harold didn’t want to let me go, but when I tried to kill him, he released me.” Rose did laugh at that, remembering how cruel she had been. “I forced myself to stay awake, during the day, and tried to stake him in his sleep. He woke up and broke it, but it got me what I wanted. He called me, once, during World War II, asking if I wanted to go out to the battlefields and hunt. I said no. Haven’t heard from him since.”    
  
“So why is he back now?” James squeezed her shoulders, pressing his thumbs in circles. “After all this time, why the sudden need for a party? He has to know you hate him.”   
  
“I dunno, but if he hurts you, I will kill him.” Rose growled, turning swiftly so she was straddling his lap. “You are mine, and if he or anyone else tries to get to you, I’ll rip their heads off.”    
  
“Well I love you too.” James’ statement was made with a laugh, but Rose froze at the words. He seemed to have realized what he said, because he sucked in a breath and his cheeks flushed darker than she ever saw them before. “I mean, well, I just.”    
  
“I love you.” Rose cupped his face in her hands, her stomach doing a flip as he broke into a grin. She knew it was the claim making her feel this way, making them both feel it, but she didn’t care. He had heard her darkest secret and still loved her. Slowly, she lowered her lips to his, and in the still warm bath water, they proved their love to each other.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erm, so this chapter is why I haven’t updated in forever. I know its gonna piss people off, and I didn’t want to be burned at the stake.
> 
> However, since people have asked, here it is.

Rose sighed as she stumbled into the house, making James look up from his grading. She was smiling at him in an odd way, almost as if she were drunk or high. “Rose, love, you alright?” She gave a wild giggle, as she dropped her purse over the sofa. She had been out ‘working’, which was what she preferred to call feeding. He didn’t mind either term, but used it to make her happy   
  
“Mmmm, perfectly.” James yelped in surprise as she was behind him in a blink, tongue curling along his ear. “Man you smell good.” He didn’t have time to respond before his shirt was ripped open, her nails dragging along his chest, the cool sensation sparking fire and need into his veins, as her two favored biting spots on his neck and inner thigh twinged in anticipation. “‘Ave I ever told you that? You smell bloody delicious.” He groaned as she giggled and her fangs teased his ear. “Hehe bloody. Get it.”    
  
His body was at attention, straining for her, for the impossible pleasure that came from the passionate heat of their insatiable desire of each other, and the ecstasy that would come as she drank from him and he bit into her. Though Rose had said she eventually wanted him without her blood in his veins, the impending party of her maker had her feeding it to him in astounding quantities, so much so, that he found it hard to focus on his lectures without tasting it, without each blonde female student not suddenly wearing Rose’s face.    
  
Still, he’d never seen her like this, never had her come on so swiftly as now. She was spinning his chair around, straddling him as she snapped his belt buckle in half.  Something was off about her. Rose was speaking with her natural accent. Her normally warm, amber eyes were swirling with greens and blues, pupils blown wide, and an odd but alluring scent blew across his enhanced senses. It was blood, but there was something different. That stopped his hands from ripping her slinky sequined top  off of her. Rose always brushed her teeth before she came home. He’d never asked, she’d just said it felt wrong kissing him with someone else’s blood on her tongue. “Rose, slow down.” She smiled at him, a wicked sort of thing that made his cock twitch and fear flood his veins simultaneously. Her fangs gleamed, as she grabbed his hair and tilted his head. He wanted to feel it, but something was wrong. She wasn’t in control. “Rose, no! You’ll kill me!”    
  
Rose froze, her fingers relaxing in his hair as she trailed a finger down his cheek. “James, you’re scared...” she blinked, shaking her head. “You said you’d never be afraid of me.” James reached up, his heart racing as red liquid tinged her mascara coated eyelashes. “I would never, ever hurt you. I love you.”    
  
“I love you too, but something’s wrong with you.” He cupped her face, wiping the bloody tears away. “You’re acting like you’re drunk or high? Can vampires get drunk or high?” She didn’t answer, just opened her eyes again and giggled. “Who did you have for dinner?”    
  
“Dunno, but fuck he tasted good.” Rose made a belly deep growling noise, as she gave a grind down onto him. “Mmm, he was a virgin, though. Funny, never had a virgin client before. No wonder he was so eager.”    
  
“You can get inebriated on virgin blood?” That was sort of amusing, actually. James should have known the myths behind it were real, just as it seemed many others were. Rose was pulling off her shirt, her fangs pulling at her lip. God he wanted to feel them on his skin, no, he needed to focus.   
  
“Pffft no. Jus’ makes us really, really, horny.” Rose groaned grabbing his hand and yanking it to her lace clad breast. “Fuck me, James. Right here.” Okay, that language was definitely out of her character.    
  
“No, you’re not in your right mind.” James yanked his hand back, panic welling in his veins. As if she could smell it, and she probably did, Rose’s eyes went darker, predatory. She began to chuckle darkly as she slid from his lap and crouched. “Rose.”    
  
“Run.” He didn’t ask, but he took off for the door. She was there, blocking it, sneering at him. James stumbled to a stop, spinning, heading for the back door. Again she blocked him, laughing all the while, her face lethal. “Gotta be faster than that.”    
  
This time he went for the stairs, his mind on the weapons in his room. Rose had insisted he keep them on hand, since her maker was obviously watching them. He dove for the drawer, grabbing the silver spray, as she flew into the room, crouching, hissing at him. “Rose! Stop! I don’t want to hurt you.” James was terrified, not just at the danger, but of hurting her. He loved her, suddenly the spray was knocked from his hands, and he went down, taking the drawer with him, the contents spilling.    
  
“Rose, It’s me.” James didn’t know what compelled him to do it, but he grabbed her head and yanked her lips to his. She groaned into his lips, her fangs nicking his tongue. Then she froze, pulling back, gaping at him in horror.   
  
“Oh no...no...” She shook her head. “No! How?!”    
  
“Rose, love.” James scrambled to his knees, ignoring all the instincts that told him to run. He tried to touch her, but she recoiled back. “Talk to me, what’s wrong?”    
  
“I need.... James. Help me!” He gasped as she looked up at him, her cheeks covered in tears. “Iron, I need iron. Any kind, vitamins, bit of metal, jus’ iron. Hurry.” Rose howled, and she started growling again.    
  
James rushed to the hall bathroom, ripping open the medicine cabinet to fumble through the plethora of supplements he’d begun taking at Ianto’s and Rose’s advisement. His fingers closed over the iron bottle, and he ran back to her. He knelt down, trying to get the cap off with his shaking hands, but she snatched it from him, shattering the bottle, and she quickly shoved a handful of the pills into her mouth, chewing them. “Rose? Please, say something!”    
  
Rose didn’t answer, just fell to the floor, digging her nails into the wood so hard it left crevices in planks, then she shuddered, hard, sucking in a frantic gasp, before coughing. “Fucking faeries.”    
  
“You fed on a faery?” James slumped in relief as her eyes met his, once again their normal, stunning, amber. “You get drunk on faery blood?”    
  
“High, not drunk.” Rose pushed herself up, blinking as she took in the room. “A mouthful or two isn’t so bad, but I fed, really fed.” Her eyes landed on him, and she gasped, covering her mouth. “I hurt you! James! I’m sorry.” He looked down, seeing thin rivulets of red running down his chest. He hadn’t even felt her scratch him, now they stung.    
  
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m not mad-“   
  
“Did I... James, tell me I wasn’t hunting you!” She sobbed covering her face, and James shoved that instinctual fear to run aside. He scooted over, grabbing her arms, and even though she resisted, he coaxed her into his lap. “I’m sorry. ‘M so sorry. If you want to break up, I understand.”    
  
“I’m not leaving you, silly girl.” Calling her a girl when she was over two hundred was a bit odd, but he couldn’t help it. Rose was his silly, precious girl. “You weren’t yourself. You stopped.” She lifted her head, looking up at him with a look of utter devastation. “If you know faeries make you a bit crazy, why’d you feed on one?”    
  
“I dunno. He didn’t smell like one.” Her face contorted into a look of horror, as her hand flew down to her insanely short skirt, disappearing under the material. Suddenly she was out of his arms, running down the stairs.    
  
“Rose!” James gave chase, barely catching her door from closing, and he found the shower on, her clothes ripped apart on the floor, as she was puking into the toilet. The blood coming from her wasn’t all red. There were bits of blue and green mixed in, and the colors were turning black. That spicy scent she’d had in her mouth permeated the room. Then he saw it, glistening on her bare thigh, a sheen of silver like dried...”you slept with him?!” His stomach dropped at the thought.    
  
“I don’t remember.” Rose gagged, curling in on herself as she wiped her mouth. “I remember walking into the room, the usual exchange, and I could smell he was a virgin. remember him trying to kiss me, tellin’ him I don’t do that, holding his gaze to glamour him, ‘nd then nothin’ until I took the iron.”    
  
James couldn’t breathe. He felt like his world had just imploded. “You swore you never did that! How could you?!” He fisted his hair, turning away. Then, from his pocket, his mobile rang a text. Good, a distraction. He could use one before he lost his temper. He yanked it out, looking down at the unknown number and opening it. The only contents was a video, and he pressed play.    
  
The video had weird gray lines on it, and the first sound was the unmistakable groan of Rose in pleasure. James stared in horror, the video focused in. She was feeding on a man, completely naked, as he rocked up into her. Disgust filled his veins, as Rose sobbed from floor. It took him a moment to realize this was from a camera in a vent. The man Rose was riding, looked directly into the lens and smiled. “Turn it off, please. Please.” Rose begged, covering her face.    
  
James didn’t have time to, because that number flashed on his screen as an incoming call. “Who the hell are you? How fucking dare you?!” He shouted.   
  
“Put my Blossom on the phone, like a good little human.” The man’s voice was strange, but Rose must’ve heard it. She growled, jerking her hands away. “Now, you pathetic blood bag.” The look on her face said it all. This was Harold, her maker.   
  
“It’s for you.” James’ anger was broiling as he half threw it at her. He turned to leave. Whatever screwed up mess was going on was her issue now. He was done. Vampire or not, faery blood or not, he would not be cheated on again.   
  
“What do you want? I’m not in the mood for your headgames!” Rose must have put it on speaker, because Harold’s voice echoed in the room.    
  
“Aww, Blossom, didn’t you enjoy your early birthday present? Because it sure looked like you did.” Harold chuckled, and James spun around at the absolutely sick sound to it. “I couldn’t find you a full faery, like I did for your first birthday. I had to settle for a quarter blood. I did give him something a little extra to drive you wild, and oh, Blossom were you wild!”    
  
“What did you do?!” Rose stared up at him, her face wide with horror. “Harold! What did you do to me?!”    
  
“Why, I gave him some of my blood silly girl. Awww, Blossom, did you blank out?” Harold sounded too sweet, too falsely concerned. “You haven’t shared my blood in decades. I wasn’t sure how you’d react with it in your system, but you were beautiful.”    
  
“Did I kill him?” James gasped at her quiet whisper. She really didn’t remember? She really couldn’t recall if she had gone to far. “Harold, tell me!”    
  
“Say it, Blossom. Say it, and I’ll tell you.”    
  
“No.”    
  
James didn’t understand what Harold was asking, but Rose looked ready to vomit again. It was a feeling he had as well. The video played in his mind, again, stirring his anger. Rose had fucked her client! She had cheated on him!    
  
“Say it, Blossom, or do you not want your precious little blood bag to hear you?    
  
“He isn’t a blood bag, and he isn’t mine anymore.” Rose’s voice was resigned, but torn all at once. James watched on in morbid curiosity as she sniffled. “You ruined that for me. Don’t humiliate me further.”    
  
“Oh, so he didn’t like that video I sent? Well, where’s the fun in that?” There was a low growl. “Say it, if you want to know.”    
  
James opened his mouth to hurl an insult but Rose shook her head at him. “Please, Master, tell me.” The sound of defeat in her voice broke past the rage that her betrayal had caused. “Master, ‘m beggin’ you. Did I kill?”    
  
“No, Blossom, you didn’t kill him. Once you sated yourself, you were in quite the mood.” The chuckle from Harold was wrong on so many levels. “You were beautiful, stumbling out to your car. I almost called to you. You would have yielded. I didn’t though. I let you go home to your pet.”    
  
“Why? Why did you do this?” James couldn’t describe the look on her face, but it chilled his blood. It was so wrong on anyone, even a cheating vampire escort. “You released me? Why now?”    
  
“You’ll see, Rose my pet, you’ll see.” The call ended abruptly, plunging them into silence. James a frozen, as Rose shivered. He’d never seen her shiver before, tremble in post orgasm delight, yes, but never like that.    
  
“Let me shower, ‘nd I’ll pack my things.” Rose stood, handing him the phone.    
  
James was still furious, but not so much at Rose now. Most of his rage was for the man who’d forced her to call him Master. “What did he mean, he wasn’t sure how his blood would affect you?”    
  
“It doesn’ matter. ‘S not your problem anymore.” Rose covered her chest, looking down, as more and more tears spilled out and stained the rug beneath her feet. “What I did is unforgivable. I had sex...I hunted you... I hurt you. You deserve better. Jus’ go.”    
  
“Tell me, or I’ll rescind your invitation here and now.” James knew it was a low blow, but he wanted answers. He deserved answers.


	17. Chapter 17

Rose’s head was pounding, which was a difficult thing for her to develop given her heart didn’t work. She couldn’t stop the tears from spilling, couldn’t face the man seething in rage in front of her, and she couldn’t believe she had been so stupid. “Why do you care? I fucked someone else. You said that was the one boundary, ‘nd I blew it up. Please, just go.”    
  
James left the room with a growl, and Rose waited for the burn. She waited to feel the sting of her home being ripped from her like he had. Instead, she heard the locks clicking over head, and his feet were on the stairs again. “Get in the shower and clean yourself up.” There was a tone in his voice as he came in she had never heard before, and she spun, stepping into the water. The first thing she did was grab the cloth, scrubbing her folds clean. She wanted to puke again, but her stomach was empty. “Explain, now.”    
  
“Fine!” She cried, rinsing the cloth off, squeezing her eyes shut. “Maker’s blood is potent, in and of itself. If taken from the directly from vein, it reinstates the bond severed by release.” That was one thing she’d never wanted to do. She’d die first. “But if it comes from a secondary source, usually a bottle or cup, it can have unpredictable effects.” Rose didn’t know how to explain it. She’d never had a human experience to compare it to, and she didn’t think he’d understand. “Feeding from a maker makes you take on some of their qualities. ‘S why it took me so long to escape him.”    
  
“You couldn’t smell the blood?” James’ sarcastic snort shocked her. She never expected him to sound so cold, so condescending. She didn’t blame him in the least.    
  
“No, at first all I smelled was virgin blood. It’s potent. Can’t really describe. I just remember being excited that he was a virgin. It’s like, an aphrodisiac, and I couldn’t wait to come home, to you, for you to drink from me so we could share how intense it can be.” She stared down at the cloth in her hand. What had she done? Why had they been shirtless? “Once I started feeding, it would have been intoxicating on its own. Then, since he was part faery, that blood would have acted like a... I dunno how to describe it, but it would have made me inebriated. It also would have masked Harold’s blood in his veins.”   
  
“So you’re blaming an aphrodisiac and a drug for fucking him?” James didn’t sound convinced, and Rose knew it was probably over his head. He’d never experienced how potent the three bloods could be alone, much less combined. Rose never wanted to again.    
  
“No, not those. I wouldn’t have... it was his blood.” Rose leaned against the wall, covering her face though he couldn’t see it through the opaque doors. “That’s what made me blank out. God, James, you don’t get it! Once the feed ended, once my thirst was slaked, I could have killed him. With Harold’s blood in my system, I could have murdered everyone in that hotel. I could have done any number of horrible things, but I didn’t. I don’t even remember going to my car.”    
  
“You came home, giggling, laughing, stripping me down.” James’ voice was flat, and Rose whimpered in shame and disgust with herself. “‘Fuck me, right here’ you said. I was going to. I wanted to, but i knew you weren’t right. Then, you almost fed on me. I said no, and you said you’d never hurt me. Before I knew it, you were chasing me through the house like a rabid animal!”    
  
“I don’t remember.” Rose turned, banging her fists against the tiles. “I don’t even remember why I stopped, or why I had iron in my mouth. I just came to and you were horrified, James! I could feel the hunt in my veins still, I was so scared I’d killed you until I opened my eyes.”    
  
“You nicked my tongue with your fang. Maybe tasting my blood stopped you.” James sounded disgusted, and Rose was too. What she had done was inexcusable, not just the sex, but almost killing him. “I don’t know, but... jeez, Rose. You cheated on me!”    
  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Then Harold’s words hit her, and her brain drew together a horrifying explanation. “He could have called to me. If I was out of my mind that badly, it would have been nothing to make me drink from him. He didn’t.... he let me go.” Rose pulled at her soaked hair, shuddering in horror. “He wanted me to kill you. He knew if I went home, I’d kill you!” The shower door slid open, as James stared at her. “James! What’re you doing?”    
  
“I’m just a blood bag to him, right? Why send me the video, of another man fucking you? Why call MY phone immediately after?” His words were lethal, and the rage in his eyes had Rose gazing to make sure he didn’t have a stake. “What aren’t you telling me?!”    
  
Rose bit her tongue so hard her fangs pierced each side. How could she say it? How could she explain it? She wasn’t even sure herself, but she knew how Harold worked enough to guess. “He wanted me to kill you. It would break my claim on you, leave me weak and vulnerable. When I didn’t, then he went for his back up.” She tried to meet his eyes, but she couldn’t. She was afraid of the hatred she knew was there. “Break my heart instead. He must’ve had someone watching the house. I’m sorry.” Rose shut the shower door, not able to bear his gaze anymore.    
  
“But why? Why does he need me out of the way and you vulnerable?!” James’ shout made her flinch, knocking over her bottles of shampoo and shower gel. “Say it, Rose. Say it!”    
  
“Because, he’s jealous! Because I chose you, a human, over him! Because he wants me back.” The door flung open again, and Rose turned. As distressed as she was, as raging with shame and disgust, she didn’t have rhe reflexes to react as James pinned her back into the wall, towering over her as his fingers fisted her wet hair, and then his lips were crushing into hers. “James, what are you, fuuuu-“ his teeth punctured the inside of her lip as he groaned.    
  
“He can’t have you.” James pulled back, panting, his chin soaked in her blood. If she wasn’t so mortified at what had occurred in the last few hours, she’d be ready to pounce on him. “You’re mine!” His growl was as possessive and dominating as a human could be, and the words made her mind tumble.    
  
“You forgive me?” Rose stared up at him, swallowing her blood as he stared down into her eyes. They were still full of anger, and she could feel and smell the fury rolling across her claim and off his skin. It was then she noticed he was completely naked, already hard from tasting her. “James.”    
  
“He was inside of you, that man.” James moved in closer, his eyes flashing. “He lured you in for your Master.” The word came out with such loathing that Rose shuddered from the intensity. “You’re mine. You claimed me, and now I’m claiming you. Tell me you want me to, or I’ll walk right out of here.”    
  
“I-I-“ Rose choked on the bloody water, as she dragged her hands along his scratched chest. “I love you. Please don’t make me leave.”    
  
“I just said you’re mine, didn’t I?” His lips were on her again, and this time Rose reacted. She clung to him, kissing him just as frantically. With her blood in his veins, he was stronger than any regular human, and she cried out as he seized her thighs and lifted her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around him, sobbing in relief as he pressed panting, open mouthed kisses across her face, down to her chest. “You have to be more careful, so he can’t trick you again. Promise me.” His lips closed over her right breast, making her keen and arch up.   
  
“I promise!” Rose groaned in desire as his nails bit into her thighs, and his hard length rocked against her where it was pinned between them. She clung to his shoulders, holding herself upright as he pulled her down against him.   
  
“Did you wash yourself clean already?” He growled, teeth scraping her skin. “Well?”    
  
“Yes!” Rose cried out as his hunger for her, the possessive, protective rage behind it exploded across the claim. He was still furious, but not at her. The ancient, powerful magic in her veins soared at its strength. “Take me, however you need. Do it!” She was drowning in their mutual arousal, in his scent as his pulse pounded against her.    
  
“Like this!” James shouted as he lifted her up slightly, centered himself, and then pulled her down. Rose keened in pleasure, fisting his hair, as he filled her. “Mine,” he hissed, pulling back to shove into her again. Stars shot across her eyes at the wondrous sensation. “And I’m yours. Nobody.” Rose gasped as he took her hard again. “Can have us but each other.”    
  
“I swear.” Rose clung to him, trying to match his movements, but the myriad of emotions slamming into her from him had her dizzy. Then electric ecstasy shot straight to her core as James’ teeth punctured her neck with a fierce bite, and he sucked. “Yes, drink. Oh, James, more! Take more” she wanted to taste him too, as he moved inside of her, making her heady with his anger, his love, his fear of losing her, and the fire in him as he drank. She was starving for it, but she didn’t give her aching fangs the relief.   
  
“Bite me.” He grunted, splattering her blood on her cheek. “Do it, bite me, feed.” Rose ached for it, as she cried out from another thrust. She didn’t give in, afraid he’d slip and hurt himself from the pleasure. He was sucking again, loud, desperate, messy sucks that matched his intense thrusts into her.   
  
“Not with you standin’.” She managed to groan, earning her an exasperated growl. In an instant, he dropped her legs, sliding from her, but before she could mourn the loss, she was on her back against the wet tiles, and he was entering her again. The shower cascaded over their lower bodies, leaving their shoulders and faces free of its spray. “Harder!” She screamed, as his lips crashed into hers, and he slaked his coated tongue against hers. The taste made her head spin, and she crooned as he hiked her leg up before giving a particularly rough and desperate thrust into her.    
  
“I said feed.” James’ exasperated hiss only lasted a moment before he was biting into her neck again. This time Rose yielded to her hunger, groaning as his blood gushed onto her tongue. She swallowed, clinging to his back, unable to stop her nails from piercing the skin. He only went harder, panting, sloppily drinking from her.    
  
She was close, so close, too close for the first one of the night. Rose shoved that thought aside, refusing to think it. She only wanted James, and as if he could sense it, his hand was between them, rubbing, circling frantically. “Come for me, now.” He growled into her ear, digging his nails into her shoulder. “Now, Rose!”    
  
His desperate need washed across the claim, and Rose was hurtling towards the edge. He bit down again, with a wild suck that matched her frantic pulls of his own blood. That did it. Rose exploded, spinning from the most intense release she’d ever felt. She tried to pull back, to kiss him, but James ripped his hand from between them, grabbing her head, and pressing her fangs in harder. Jerking in the power of her climax, in the one she felt building from him through the claim, Rose gave him what he was asking.    
  
She sucked harder, deeper than she’d ever taken since the silver accident that had changed it all. It was dangerous, but with her blood in his veins he could take it. He ripped his mouth free of her skin, and Rose felt his entire body tense as he cried out, thrust himself in to the hilt, and held himself there. His release filled her, hot, surge after surge, pooling inside of her as he panted above her. Rose pulled her fangs free, biting her tongue forcefully, and laving her blood over the holes.    
  
James gasped, trembling over her, and Rose let him tug her by her hair until her head rested on the tile floor. She whined as he gave another, short thrust, at his messy face. “I forgive you.” He panted, resting his forehead against hers. Rose hadn’t realized until then that he hadn’t said the words. “Do you forgive me, for not listening at first?”    
  
“Yes.” She pulled him down, moaning into his lips as their blood mixed on her tongue. He hadn’t pulled out, yet, despite how he was softening inside of her. Rose didn’t ask. She just clung to him, wishing her heart beat so he could feel the way he had driven her to the brink of insanity. She tried to lower her leg, but he grabbed it. “James, what-“    
  
“Erasing him from inside of you. Don’t move, not yet.” Rose whined, at his words, not wanting to think about what she couldn’t remember. “Don’t think about it, love. Just feel, feel me.” She met his eyes, which were now filled with the love she’d been longing to see. He leaned down, licking her chin with a sigh. “Was I too rough, love?”    
  
“No.” It would be impossible for him to be, not as a human. “Best orgasm of my life.” Rose mimicked his lick, cutting her palm with a nail to smear her healing blood across the scratches on his back. Slowly, she spiraled back to herself, as they cleaned each other’s lips, necks, and faces with loving, caressing licks and kisses.    
  
It wasn’t until James’ heart rate returned to normal that he slid from her, and Rose grunted as he stood between her legs and turned off the shower. Rose pushed herself up, biting her lip at the smears of red on the wall and splatters on the glass door. “What?” He huffed, staring at her when she giggled.    
  
“We made a mess.” Rose reached for the wash cloth, as she looked around to see if their frantic coupling had stained anything else. She lifted it, moving it to wiper herself clean, but James was crouching, taking it from her and tossing it aside. “Hey!”    
  
“Don’t. Not until Sunset.” The dark gleam in his eyes made her stomach clench in pleasure. “I want to know this.” He dipped a finger into her, making her groan as he curled it and pulled it out to let her see the sticky fluid. “Is inside of you when I’m lying next to you.” He wiped his finger on her thigh before extending his hand. “Come here.”    
  
Rose went to him on shaky legs, her whole body humming with her release, with his touch was he stroked her face and pulled her in for an embrace that was as sweet as their lovemaking had been passionate. “I was so scared I’d l-“   
  
“Shhhh, love. Shhhh.” He rubbed her back softly, dropping gentle kisses on her hair. “I was scared I was going to leave to.”    
  
“Why didn’t you?” Rose didn’t want to question it, but she had to as James released her to open the door and grab their towels. “You were so angry.”    
  
“Because it wasn’t you doing those things. It wasn’t Rose. You weren’t in control of yourself.” He wrapped the towel around her, using the ends to pull her into him. Rose gazed up into his eyes, sniffing as he kissed her brow. “You said you could have done any number of things when you left there, but you came home to me.”    
  
“I almost killed you.” Rose wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face in his chest. “I hunted you, you said.”    
  
“Next time you get wasted on faery blood, I won’t get scared an panic.” He chuckled, rubbing her back through the towel. “You didn’t go into psycho mode until I did.”    
  
“Oh, Yeah, um, fear is as alluring to us as sex.” If Rose could blush, she would. She pulled back, looking down at their scattered clothes. “Why is your belt buckle broken?”    
  
“You were really determined to shag me before you killed me.” James chuckled, and Rose squealed when he lifted her onto his shoulder and carried her into the bedroom to toss her onto the bed, towel and all. “I drank a lot of your blood.” Rose was confused for a moment, until she looked down and saw him stirring again.    
  
“James,” She had to laugh at the eager giddiness rolling off of him. He sure had. Her love was practically drunk on her, literally. “Can I tell you something?” He nodded, nudging her legs apart as he crawled between them to brace himself over her. “If I had been human, and you vampire, that would definitely have claimed me.”    
  
“Mmm good, because your mine, and I’m yours, and if anyone wants to break that up, they can go screw themselves.” Rose arched up into his fingers, as he trailed them along her stomach. He paused, before chuckling and nuzzling her neck. “Wait, are you saying I fucked like a vampire?” Tonight was the most she’d ever heard him curse, and she knew it was because of the events. Honestly, the lack of filter was highly arousing.    
  
“There was a little less growling and clawing, but yes... you did.” Rose wrapped her legs around his waist, tugging his lips down to hers. “Now, make love to me like I’m human.”    
  
“With pleasure.” James sighed, pressing their lips together softly. “No biting, no blood. Just us.”   
  
By sunrise, Rose felt thoroughly loved and forgiven as she she laid floating in James’ arms. Twice more they’d come together, both gentle and sweet, full of soft touches and gentle promises of never hurting each other. She reveled in the peace, in the joy of their little bubble of safety in her basement suite, as he stroked his fingers over her eyelids and pressed his other hand to still her reflexive breathing. “Rest, love. I’ll be right here.”    
  
“Thank you, for not running away.” She yawned. She was too far into unconsciousness to process the odd wave of determination from him across the claim, and she was completely dead to the world when James slipped from beneath her to fetch his phone from the sink.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited to add outfit links

Rose slunk up the stairs, following the smell of cooking food. She was anxious, but afraid to admit it to the man who was scarfing down his breakfast/dinner. She had three hours until she was expected at Torchwood, and she was probably about to start another row. “James, love, you can’t come.”    
  
“Try and stop me.” He snorted, wiping his mouth.    
  
“I will chain you to my bed, if you make me.” James took another bite, starving after the events of last night. He sighed at how Rose looked in nothing but his shirt. Usually she was chipper upon awakening, nuzzling him for a quick sip before she’d be off with a client. Tonight, she looked like she was off to her own funeral. It made his blood boil.   
  
“I’ll snap any you have in the house with the amount of your blood in me.” He could feel it humming in his veins, electrifying every cell of his body. James felt invincible, like he could probably even best Jack in a fight. The doorbell rang, making them both tense. “Don’t answer it.”    
  
Rose closed her eyes, breathing in the air coming through the keyhole. “Human, female. I’ll get it.” She moved to the doir before he could blink, opening it. There was a woman there, wearing a prim, pencil skirt, white blouse, and a badge that said she was a personal shopper from one of the designer stores. She was also holding a box with ribbon. “Can I help you, Karen?” She drew a deep breath, testing the woman for any scent of vampire, fae, or supernatural creature. She was just a plain human.   
  
“I have a delivery for a Rose Tyler.” The woman held out the box, smiling so sweetly. Rose held her gaze, pouring her influence inside of her. “You have beautiful eyes.”    
  
James came up behind Rose, having finished his meal, just in time to see the woman on the stoop blush, as Rose took the box and spoke. “Why don’t you come in for a second, Karen. You must be exhausted after working all day.”    
  
“What’re you doing?” He hissed, shutting the door as this Karen stepped around them. He oofed as Rose pushed the box into his hand, never breaking gaze with the woman. “Rose, are you insane?! You can’t just bring people in right now!”    
  
“I’m hungry, and this beats tracking down some back alley drunk near Torchwood.” Rose’s hissed whisper, as she gestured Karen to the living room made him remember that she had briefly said she wasn’t taking clients for a while, not until she was sure it was safe. “James, honey, be a dear and fetch Karen something to drink.”    
  
“A drink?” Rose fixed her gaping lover with a stare. Honestly, hadn’t she brought him enough orange juice and nibbles after she drank from him to know what she meant. “Right, a drink. One mimosa for our guest!”    
  
“Tell, me, Karen. Did you take this order in person or on the phone?” Rose stroked the woman’s cheek as she settled beside her, searching with her glamour for any signs another vamp had already been toying with her. There were none, and she did smell impeccably untainted by anything dangerous.    
  
“The phone. He was very sweet, didn’t give a name, but I knew exactly what outfit he wanted.” She beamed, seemingly proud of herself. Rose could hear her heart rate pitching up. “Sorry, I... well... Miss Tyler. I’m a bit dazed right now.” Her voice went wispy, breathless with longing. “You’re very beautiful. I’ve never been attracted to a woman before, but, you...”    
  
“You’d like to kiss me, yes. I know.” James was frozen, watching in awe as he witnessed what could only be glamour at work. From his end, it sent his hairs up, triggering those ingrained instincts to run, but Rose’s life force pumping inside of him had him eager to watch. “I only kiss one person, but maybe I can make you feel good in other ways.”    
  
The gasp that came from Karen made James shiver, and she swallowed in anticipation as Rose dropped to her knees. “Please, oh, your husband is watching.” He feared, for a second, that when Karen looked at him, he’d buggered it up, but Rose looked over at him with a salacious smile. The fearful look was gone, and her eyes were glowing bright, inviting, he was drawn towards her. Then she blinked, and he stumbled to a stop.    
  
“James, I have to, you know-“    
  
“I want to see.” Rose felt relief replace the guilt that had risen at accidentally turning her glamour on him. She wasn’t sure if he was upset, because he’d never actually observed her feeding. He always was on the receiving end. She patted the floor beside her, before flicking her gaze back up to Karen.    
  
“James won’t touch you, darling, just me. It will feel wonderful.” She drew a breath in, groaning at the way the woman’s blood was pouring into her thighs. “Just relax, feel.” Carefully, she pushed her knees apart, trailing her tongue along her right thigh, searching for the most free flowing spot. Then she curled her tongue over it, sighing as James gave a gasp beside her. “Feel good, sweetheart?” At her gasp of yes, Rose closed her eyes, parted her lips, and bit down with a schnick of her fangs.    
  
“Oh, Rose.” James had to admit some part of him was jealous, as Karen keened out in pleasure. It wasn’t at the fact that Rose was practically in the woman’s knickers, but because her fangs weren’t in him. What made him gasp, made him have to set the cup of juice down and clench his fists, was because despite being full from his quick meal, his mouth was watering and his stomach was gurgling in thirst and hunger. He could smell the blood, though only one drop trickled down Rose’s chin.    
  
James’ whole body was vibrating, it felt to him, edging him forward until he had his arms around his love, panting in her ear. He wasn’t aroused, straining against his pants, but he was completely awash in the approving, muffled, groans Rose was making. Suddenly, Karen had gone from pants and groans, to tangling her hand in Rose’s hair. “More, please, don’t stop!” His heart was racing, and he couldn’t help but press his lips against Rose’s neck, growling encouragement, heeding to the wild instincts that were him and weren’t him all at once.    
  
Rose whimpered as Karen shouted in ecstasy above her, the intensity of her climax filling her mouth twice more before she nicked her tongue and sealed the wounds. The feeding was quick, only what was necessary to keep her thirst sated for tonight, but she’d wanted more. James had been driving her wild, growling, encouraging her, his lips nearly making her forget why this was happening. She fell back into him, resisting the urge to pull him down for a kiss. She had to cover her tracks.    
  
“Karen.” In a flash, Rose was standing, leaning over her. She’d barely taken a pint, not enough to impede the woman’s ability to drive or walk. “Look at me.” Her green eyes met hers, heavy with her release. “When I close my eyes, you’re going to take the glass of orange juice and leave. Then you will go home, and dream you were on the beach in Cancun with the man if your dreams.” Closing her eyes, Rose pulled back, picking up the glass to hand it to her. When the door shut behind her, she yelped as James spun her around and pushed her into the wall. “What are you-“ she groaned as he kissed her hard, pushing flush against her.    
  
Their tongues met, and she had the wild thought to say screw the party and skip town with him, but then he pulled back and gagged. It took Rose half a second to realize why, and then she was giggling. James wiped his mouth, frowning. “What, don’t like B neg?”    
  
“That... did not taste like I thought.” James pulled the hem of his shirt up to clean his lips. Everything in him said it would taste delicious, the most enticing thing ever. Instead it tasted like pennies covered in ketchup. “Why... why are you laughing?”    
  
“You’re not a vampire, dumbarse.” Rose rolled her eyes at him, and he glared back. “Despite what a week’s worth of daily drinking from me says. How’d you expect it to taste? Like cherry soda?” He huffed, as she reached up and wiped his chin. Then her eyes met his, a bit hesitant, a bit timid. “But, did you enjoy watching?”    
  
“I did, but I was also a bit jealous.” Rose’s smile stopped halfway into forming, and he had to fix that. “Not because you got her off. You can’t help that. Because I, well...” he felt his cheeks tinge. “I wanted to be the one you were biting.”    
  
“Oh, well.” Rose grinned, reaching up to stroke his jaw. “Be in my bed when I get home, and I’ll fix that.” Then, after considering her words, she curled one finger down his neck to the almost permanent red bite mark. “Really, it’s our bed, isn’t it. You only sleep upstairs on nights before morning classes.”    
  
“Oh, I like that.” James pulled her to him, distracted by what had just occurred until his eyes landed on the box he’d sat beside his empty plate. “But, I’m still going tonight.”    
  
“No!” Rose shoved him back, spinning on her heel. “I forbid it. You will stay here, with the doors locked, wearing silver as I said!” Her eyes fell on the box, and she growled. “Now what the hell did he send me?” She stalked towards it, glaring at it before ripping the ribbon and yanking the lid off. She snorted at the contents, as she opened the tissue paper to reveal a dress, shoes, and jewelry box. Taped to the jewelry box was a folded piece of paper.   
  
“Happy Birthday, I hope these gifts are better appreciated than last night.” James sneered at the letter as he read it over Rose’s shoulder. He snagged the jewelry box, popping it open. Inside was nestled a gold necklace covered in what had to he diamonds and rubies, with matching earrings. They were stunning, and definitely something she would have picked out. “Well he knows how to pick jewelry, I’ll give him that.”    
  
“Bite me.” Rose snapped, although she had to agree the matching set he put down was gorgeous. She lifted the shoes up, frowning because she had been eyeballing them for a while, but the shop that had them was always closed when she woke up. They were red velvet heels, with a gold metal on the back and across the strap that would circle her ankle, complete with an adorable little goldball tassel on the buckle. James got the dress before she did, holding it up as he heaved a sigh. “What?”    
  
“It’s perfect for you, that’s what.” He bit back a growl of hatred at the slinky, sexy thing in his hand. It was red, with intricate gold filigree and beading across the breasts and hem, with a gold material underneath that shone through the tiger stripe designs. “Something I’d want you to wear special for me, just so I could rip it off.” He tossed it aside, but Rose caught it, frowning. “You’re not honestly going to wear it, are you?”    
  
“I don’t have a choice.” Rose shoved everything back into the box, afraid to say what had eluded her notice until now. “He used to be a loner, just me and him, occasionally we’d nest with others, but now.” She looked up, knowing she couldn’t hide her fear from him. James knew her too intimately. “He has our address. He’s hiring people instead of coming at me directly. This.” She picked up the letter. “Was a threat. Wear it, or suffer.” She shoved the lid back on the box. “You’re not coming, that’s final.”    
  
“Yes, I am!” James shouted as Rose disappeared downstairs. He waited until he heard the shower below him, and then hurried upstairs. He grabbed his mobile, checking to see if Jack had responded.    
  
Ready when you are.    
  
Was all it said. He stripped out of his clothes, ducking into the shower, rushing through washing and shaving in an effort to beat Rose to the car. Which he may or may not have gotten the spare key from Jack for. Then he yanked down his best suit, slowly buttoning it up, before he stuffed the silver spray into his pocket. He didn’t beat Rose to the car, just to her door, and he had to stare in shock at how gorgeous she was.    
  
For the first time, she had forgone the flesh tone concealer, only dusting a bit of rouge onto her cheeks. Her lips were as red as the blood she needed to survive, topped with a gold gloss. Her amber eyes shone out from under glittering red and gold powder and intense winged liner and mascara. Her hair was brushed and pinned in a cascade of curls, that brushed her shoulder, making her skin glow against the slinky dress and mouth watering heels. “Do you want to die? Is that it James? Are you so sick of this life?!”    
  
“No! Of course not!” Rose had to blink back tears, after taking in how stunning he looked in the pristine black suit with his hair combed back, freshly shaved face, and flushed cheeks. “If things go badly...” he sighed, pressing his forehead to hers. “I love you, you know that.”    
  
“Yes, but what are you saying?” She was confused by the look in his eyes. It wasn’t fear, or anger, or hatred. It was determination, and hope, and a love so intense it nearly made her long silenced heart thump. She thought she knew, but Rose didn’t know if she could do it. She didn’t know if she could give him what he was asking. He didn’t know what it meant. “You’d have to leave everything behind, don’t you get that?”   
  
“Not everything.” James brushed his lips across hers as sweetly as he could. “I knew, from the start, this could go one of three ways. I choose the one that gives us eternity.”    
  
“We’ll discuss this when we get home.” Rose knew now there was no keeping him back. If she left without him, he’d call a cab. “You drive. I need to think.” As James led the way out to the car, Rose didn’t bother buckling in. She simply clung to his hand, staring out the windshield, and wondered if this was the last time she’d ever get to hold it again.    
  
James was trying his best to stay calm, but it was hard with Rose sitting unmoving, un-breathin, and unblinking beside him. He wanted to speak, to say something, but he didn’t know how. The closer they drew to Torchwood, the more a feeling of dread settled into his stomach. It was telling him to run, to turn the car around, to not stop driving until they ran out of road and then swim as far as they could. The single, neon sign, was just in his sight when Rose spoke. “He isn’t here yet.”    
  
“You sure?” She blinked twice, before closing her eyes and tilting her head. “You don’t feel him?”    
  
“No, but that doesn’t mean we’re not in danger.” She pointed ahead to where Gwen was posted at the door. “She’s on edge, fighting a shift. You can’t see it this far, but I can.” James squinted, but even if he’d had his reading specs on he wouldn’t see more than her outline.    
  
Rose rolled the window down as they drew closer, breathing in the wind. It was saturated with wolf and shifter. There was also fae, undine, and, oh hell. “Humans! I told Jack no humans!” She growled, as James pulled around to the employee parking area.    
  
“I’m a human.” James offered a chuckle, hoping she’d relax, but Rose just shook her hair back and fixed him with a look. “But, I don’t count because-“    
  
“You’re steroided up on my blood, claimed by me, and the only person stupid enough to try and feed on you is Harry.” Rose shoved her door open, climbing out. James locked the car behind them, pocketing her keys. He jumped as Rose wheeled around, her face seemingly frozen in a mask of apprehension. “Don’t use your name, period. Yes he probably knows it, but there are creatures in here than can hurt you if you offer it to them. Do not respond if anyone says it. James doesn’ exist until we are safe at home. From now on, you are-“    
  
“The Doctor, I know.” Rose let him lead her around the building to the front door, where Gwen met her eyes then flicked them at James with a throaty huff. The Torchwood pack, at least, would help get him to safety. “Ready?”   
  
“Please go home, love. Please.”    
  
“Not without you.” Rose laced their fingers together at his confident whisper, and together, they stepped into the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Rose’s dress](https://www.holtmiami.com/products/celeste-lace-dress-red-gold-or-silver)
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> [Rose’s Shoes](http://wheretoget.it/link/2442744)
> 
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> [Rose’s Jewelry](https://www.gleamjewels.com/ruby-diamond-necklace-with-earrings-18k-gold-p-263.html)


	19. Chapter 19

James thought he had experienced some pretty intense sensations the last few days, but it was nothing compared to the energy swirling in the normally laidback bar. Rose was on edge, clinging to his hand, never blinking, drawing quick sniffs as her eyes darted back and forth. He was a bit surprised when people parted for them, leaving a clear path to the bar, where she promptly pushed him against the wood and stood in front of him.    
  
“Is he here?” He chanced a whisper, knowing she’d hear it over the music. She shook her head, but was still scanning the bar.    
  
“There you are!” Jack’s voice did not surprise Rose, as she smelled him approaching. “Thought maybe you’d decided to skip town.”    
  
“You know I can’t do that.” Rose turned, making sure to keep James securely between her and the bar. There were three other vampires in the room, ones she didn’t know, eying them with open curiosity. “I said no humans.”    
  
“I tried, but he insisted. Apparently they’ve all been glamoured within an inch of sanity, according to the trio in the corner.” James tried to look where Jack nodded, but Rose’s hand pressed against his back, and he kept his head still. “Six in all, that was the minimum he’d agree on.” Jack made a strange growl, as he added. “Apparently they’re his personal vintage.”    
  
“Sick bastard.” Rose hissed, as James looked down at her with an inquisitive look. “Blood slaves, travel wherever he goes. He never had them before. What’s he playin’ at?” Then she smelled something new, but not new, familiar but she couldn’t put her finger on where she smelled it from. If she hadn’t slaked her thirst, her fangs would have dropped.    
  
“Oh, this dress is definitely better than the skirt.” A warm hand stroked her back, and she spun, an unfamiliar face smiling down at her. His heart was pounding, eyes racing, as four nearly healed fang marks glared at her through the hickeys on his neck.    
  
“Hands off!” James would recognize thar face anywhere, it was the man from the video, the trap intended to ruin them. She is mine!” He didn’t question the growl building in his chest as Rose hissed between them. He snagged the man’s wrist, ripping his fingers off of his Rose’s arm.    
  
“She wasn’t worried about that last night, mate.” If he hadn’t been fueled by Rose’s blood, James would have missed the punch coming. As it were, he felt the man shift his weight, saw the other hand pulling back, and he managed to side step the blow, but he didn’t avoid what came next. Rose went ballistic.    
  
The possessive anger that flashed from James told Rose this had been the man who’d lured her in, tricked her, and when he struck at her James, at her lover, she snapped. Yowling her rage, she tackled the man, swiping her nails across his face with rage, before seizing his throat. Strong hands had her by the waist, pulling her back, but she held on, snarling as she watched the minuscule capillaries in his eyes burst, filling the white space there with greens and blues and red.    
  
“You’re killing him! Get up!” James tried to pull Rose off, as Jack worked at prying her fingers free. “Rose! Enough! You were worried about killing him last night! Don’t do it now!” His words seemed to have gotten through, because she was on her feet in an instant, hiding her face in his chest. “Shhh, love. Shhh.” Kissing her hair, he stroked her back, as Jack slapped the man a few times before he sucked in a breath and rolled over coughing.    
  
“Miranda! Toss him!” Rose barely registered Jack’s command, as she tried to calm herself. She could hear the racing hearts of the people who had ceased dancing to watch the tussle. “Rose, honey, he’s gone. Hey, why don’t I get you a nice bag of blood, hm?”    
  
“No, I ate already.” She shook her head, looking up at James, who was staring down at her in open concern. “‘M sorry, ‘s instinct. He tried to hurt you, ‘nd I couldn’t stand for that.”    
  
“Figured as much.” James didn’t particularly want Rose to kill anyone, but he couldn’t pity the bastard Miranda was dragging along to the door. Then, Rose tensed, her nostrils flaring, pupils blowing wide, and she shuddered. It cascaded down her body in a visible roll from her hair to her legs, and her back arched in his arms. He didn’t have to look, didn’t have to ask, as her lips parted, and her fangs dropped without warning, to know that Harold had entered the bar.    
  
Still, he looked anyways, scanning the crowd of faces for a new one. There were so many, over a hundred people packed in to the former warehouse, but who was he. Who was this man, this person who had Rose shivering in his arms, making her turn her head, nails biting through his sleeves. “Harold.” She breathed the word out, and he knew her well enough to detect the fear.    
  
“Not what I pictured, that’s for sure.” Jack’s snort wasn’t his usual sarcastic sound. It was a cross between hatred, disgust, surprise, and a tinge of fear.    
  
“Here. I’m here.” The words rolled off of Rose’s tongue before she could stop it. Released she may be, but the summons was powerful, nearly impossible to resist in such proximity. She felt him, making his way through the crowd, his blood singing to her, beckoning her, calling to her. It had been decades since she’d felt it, had to fight against the allure. Then she saw him, those hazel eyes locking onto hers, those lips twisting up in that predatory smile.    
  
James’ pulse against her arm, his lips brushing her hair, grounded her. Jack’s throaty growl from beside her, cascading his werescent into the air, reminded her that this wasn’t some forest in Russia or a meadow in Ireland. This was Torchwood. She was released, and he was a threat to all she loved. Still, it took every ounce of resolve for her knees not to bend, not to run to him, not to restore the bond.    
  
James was in agreement with Jack. The man who had come to a stop, staring into Rose’s eyes, smiling, fangs extended as he drank her in was not what he had expected. In his nightmares, he’d pictured some dark lord, some hulking, intimidating man, but Harold was neither. He was just a bit taller than Rose, with blonde hair, wicked hazel eyes, and a pristine black suit. He didn’t look threatening or powerful in the least, but he had recently learned that looks can be deceiving. “She’s mine now. You can’t have her.”    
  
“Oh, how sweet, your pet didn’t run away. He even speaks.” The amused chuckle made James bristle, until Harold fixed his gaze on him, and he saw nothing in his eyes but death, and contempt. “Not your usual type, Blossom, but you’ve whored around with worse.” The hissing snarl that slipped past James’ lips almost took him by surprise, but James didn’t think on it. “Well I’ll be damned, you claimed him! You, my little, sweet Rosebud actually claimed someone? How promising!”    
  
“I’m not yours.” Rose finally found her voice, after the shock of being in his presence wore off. “I’m his, and he is mine, and if you touch him, I will end you.” She threw as much lethality into her words as she could, but he didn’t rise to her threats. Instead, Harold laughed. He tossed his head back and laughed, a genuine, belly deep thing.    
  
“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just I thought he was a plaything, love. I didn’t know you’d claimed him. Well, there’s the rub with using witches to do your spying I suppose.” She flinched back as he reached out and cupped her cheek. Although her blood hummed in excitement at the contact. Witches as spies? Faeries as traps? What was he doing?    
  
“Am I missing something here?” James spoke in tune with Jack, as Rose gaped up at Harold in shock.    
  
“Ah, you must be Jack.” James wanted nothing more than to stake the man in front of him as he drew his fingers away from Rose’s face. “Where’s our table then?”   
  
“On stage, just as you requested.” Jack practically spat, and James tore his eyes away from Harold’s as Rose tugged his hands. She was pleading with her eyes, obviously trying to convey some message, but he didn’t understand what.    
  
“Come along, Blossom, and bring your human if it pleases you.” Rose wanted James to run, to get out. Something was wrong, but she didn’t know what. This wasn’t like Harold, not the one she remembered. He was being too accepting of the claim, too polite, but why? “James, right?”    
  
Rose winced as two female fae that had been sizing James up grinned and shifted closer. “No, it’s not. We call him the Doctor.” She hissed, as she reluctantly followed her maker up to the stage. She expected some ensemble of the bar furniture, but instead it was a low table with a half circular highback sofa. “You need to leave.” She hissed to James, as he clung to her arm and followed.    
  
“Hell no.” James whispered back, as Harold settled into a seat and patted the cushion beside him. He had to physically fight back his rage as Harold rested his hand on Rose’s knee as they sat as well. “Take you hands off of her. She doesn’t want you.”    
  
“I thought you hated men who speak for you.” Harold chuckled, but his laugh faltered as Rose picked his hand up and dropped it onto his lap. “Careful, Doctor, she may try to stake you in your sleep.”    
  
“I tried to stake you because you’re a bastard.” Rose shifted closer to James, not just to broadcast where her choices lie, but to make sure she was between the two men. “Why’re you doing this, Harold? Why now, after all these years, are you interfering in my life?”    
  
“Things are changing, Rose. Big things, but we’ll discuss that later. First, we eat.” She instinctively threw her arm across James, growling at Harold in warning. “Oh, I don’t plan on tasting him. Although, with so much of your blood in him...mmm that would be a treat. As I was saying, first we eat, then we play a little catch up. It’s been what, sixty or so years?” Rose’s nostrils tingled as one of the vampires escorted up a pair of twins with shoulder length red hair and green eyes. “Rose, this is your sister, Alana.” She resisted an eyeroll as the brunette vampire flashed her a loathing look. “Alana, this is Rose.”    
  
There was no denying the immediate hatred that sprung up between the women. James could see it in Alana’s posture, as she pushed one of the girls to Rose and the other she helped gracefully to Harold. “Such an honor to meet the first born, even if she is a traitor.” In a flash, Harold had her by the hair on her knees.    
  
“Apologize to her, Now.”   
  
“Knock it off Harold, I could give two flips that she’s afraid I’m gonna be your favorite again.” Rose’s snide laugh only made the woman look more furious. “Nothing would make me go back to that. Let her up.”   
  
“Go play with your toy, Alana, and don’t approach us again unless I summon you.” Harold released her, but Rose turned her attention to the pretty human girl trying to wiggle her way in between her and James.    
  
“I’m not hungry, Harold. I fed before I came.” She quickly tugged the girl between her and him instead, leaning into James’ arms and resting her head on his chest. “Besides, I don’t trust any potential food you give me anymore, ta.”    
  
James curled his arm around Rose, holding Harold’s eye as he pressed a kiss to Rose’s hair. The bastard stared back, pulling the woman at his side close and licking her arm. “Why don’t you drop the polite act, you twisted freak, and tell us why you’ve been screwing with our lives?”    
  
“You really should teach your pet manners and how to properly speak to his betters.” Harold snorted, before he bit down delicately into the wrist with a groan. The woman beside Rose made a sort of longing, needy noise as she watched. James had to swallow, as his heightened senses caught whiff of the blood.    
  
“He’s not a pet, damn it! He’s my boyfriend.” Rose held her breath, trying not to let the aroma of blood and arousal from the two women distract her. “He’s ten thousand times a better man than you.” James shifted beside her, his swallow audible, and she mentally swore as she looked up to find him flicking his eyes from Harold’s dinner to her own lips. Just great, maybe she shouldn’t have fed him so much of her.    
  
“Drink, Rose. I didn’t give them anything.” Harold smirked at her, before making a show of licking his willing victim’s blood from her arm. “poor Cleo here is feeling neglected. I know you want to. I can feel it.”   
  
“No.” Rose shifted closer to James, as close as she could get without being in his lap. His heart was racing, as he squeezed her to him. Yes, she did want to drink, it was instinctive and her preparty meal had not filled her. She didn’t give in though. She wanted her answers.    
  
“Your Doctor wants you to.”   
Harold chuckled as he pulled back from his meal again. “Look at him. How much of your blood have you fed him? He’s practically drooling.”    
  
“She said no.” James snapped, although he did sort of want to watch again. There was something glorious about watching his Rose in action, how she had taken her time, turned her meal into an intricate story. “Or don’t you know what that means?”    
  
Harold didn’t reply, simply went back to his meal. James could feel how stiff Rose was, and he covered her face with his palm, letting her breath in his scent, hoping to ease the thirst he knew must be driving her crazy. “Thank you.” She breathed against his skin, and he could feel her fangs half extended behind her lips. After what felt like an eternity, Harold dismissed the women. “If you’re quite finished-“    
  
“Uh uh uh. I said eat and catch up.” Rose rolled her eyes, as Harold leaned back and propped his ankle up on his knee. “You could be a bit more respectful. I am the one who gave you life.”    
  
“Life?! Life?!” James thought Rose had been livid before, when she nearly strangled the man earlier, but now she was pissed. She had shot up, fangs fully dropping, as she rounded on Harold, snarling in a way that made even him cringe back. “I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t ask-“    
  
“You begged for it!” Harold was up now, and he was smirking down the short distance at Rose. “You pleaded for it. There, in that forest outside your fiance’s manor. You begged me to save you, and I did! Or did you forget that? Did you forget how many times I fed you my blood, nursed you back to health after every rape, every beating?” James jumped up now, as Harold grabbed Rose’s arms, yanking her flush against him. “I gave you life, Blossom, now sit down and behave, or I’ll snap his neck like a twig.”    
  
“Yes, Sir.” Rose stumbled as Harold released her, and James caught her with a growl. She reached back, trying to calm him. “Doctor, love, let’s just sit. Okay. It’s not worth it, worth you. Please, please just.. sit.” Thankfully, James did sit, but he pulled her onto his lap, never taking his eyes off Harold. In that moment, she realized, that if he got a chance, He would kill her maker without blinking.


	20. Chapter 20

“I don’t see the point in catching up is.” Rose grumbled, watching Harold from her perch on James’ lap. “I don’t have anything of interest to tell you. Moved around the UK after you released me, until about ten years ago, when I met Jack and he helped me get a house.” She glanced around, locating her friend who was watching them with a keen eye from between Gwen’s mate, Rhys, and a shifter who’s form of choice was lion. She couldn’t remember his name. “I’m assuming you’ve been up to the usual, masquerading as an influential distant relative among well to do families, between kidnapping unsuspecting women.”    
  
“Don’t act so superior, Blossom, or haven’t you told your pet about how you used to glamour yourself an invitation to underground orgies, and then together we’d feed and fuck until we’d drained the last one.” Harold’s tone was highly amused, and James tightened his arms around Rose as she tensed against him. “Guess you left out those details, judging by the shame rolling off of you.”    
  
“Of course ‘m ashamed! You turned me into a monster! You kept me wild on your blood for years, and I didn’t know what I was doing!” Rose hated how her first twenty-five years as a vampire had been. It ate her up some days, when the hazy, blood lust clouded memories would come crashing in. “You know I am, ‘s why I tried to kill myself, until your forbade me from doing it!” She was afraid to look back at James, to see how he took the news. “Every time you caught me glamouring someone, you’d force me to drink from you until I went crazy again!”   
  
“You’re a vampire. Humans are your food and playthings, nothing to be ashamed of.” Harold shrugged as if it was all beneath him. “But you always had a soft, submissive heart. It’s one of the reasons I chose you as my first, and it’s why I’m here now.” Finally, they were getting somewhere. Rose was glad of that.    
  
“She isn’t about to submit to you, Harold.” James spat, stroking Rose’s arm as she shifted on his lap. “She’s free, and if you think threatening me is going to make her bond with you again, you’re out of your mind.”   
  
“You’re lucky my Rosebud is fond of you, human, or I’d gut you for that.” Harold’s snap made Rose brace for an attack, but he simply leaned back and smiled at her. “I’m not here to force you to submit, Blossom. I’m here to offer you what I promised two hundred years ago.”    
  
“You promised me freedom from a life of hell. You saved me from Jimmy, and you released me from you.” Rose snorted, rolling her eyes. “There isn’t much else to deliver on. Nothing to offer on in fact.”    
  
“Not that promise, darling.” James quite nearly ripped Harold’s arm off as he reached out to touch Rose’s hand, but she pulled away from her maker and laced that hand with his. “Tell me, do you remember the grove, the night before your wedding?”    
  
“Vividly.” Rose didn’t have to think hard, and she was back in a snowy grove surrounded by oak trees. The moon was half full, bathing the world in silver, as she waited with bated breath for Harold to emerge from the shadows. She had always thought he was her salvation, an angel of peace in a world of hell. “Which is why I try not to think about it at all, ta.”    
  
“Do you remember what I promised you?” James bit back a hiss as Harold shifted closer, his hazel eyes locking with Rose’s. Was it possible for a maker to glamour one of their own? He hoped not, because Rose had gone statue still.   
  
“You promised to save me from Jimmy, and insure my mum and brother wouldn’t have to worry.” Rose had replayed that conversation in her mind, every time she wondered if it had been worth it. Before, when she was younger, she thought so. Now, as she’d had two centuries of death and blood on her hands, she wondered if she shouldn’t have just said no. The only regret she didn’t have was James.    
  
“I made another promise, remember?” Rose shook her head, and James contemplated if it would be worth to chaos to just send Jack the signal now. He was obviously watching, but he wasn’t sure how many of these guests were working for Harold and how many were just there for the free drinks. “I promised to give you the world, and I’m here to ask if you’re ready to accept it.”    
  
“The world?” Rose barked out a laugh. “The world? Harry, have you been drinking those witch spies of yours?” She slid off James’ lap as she laughed at the insanity. “Do tell, how you can give me the world.”    
  
“You’ve been out of touch with our kind too long, Rose.” Harold’s voice was as serious as James had heard it so far. Rose’s laughter seemed to have killed his bemused attitude. “Tell me, do you know who that woman is?” He pointed to the corner, and James followed his gaze. The blonde who was smiling with Alana was familiar, but from where? She was definitely human, giving the fact that she was drinking a fruity drink and had visible fang marks on her thigh.    
  
“Oh, fuck. That’s Lucy Cole!” Rose jerked at James’ outburst. “Prime Minister Cole’s daughter! She led his campaign!” Her eyes snapped to the woman currently giggling at Alana. If her heart could feel, it would have clenched in fear. “And she’s recently engaged to that California senator!”    
  
“Bryan, yes.” Harold chuckled, and Rose swallowed hard. “And Cleo and Patricia, their father is currently head of the UN.” Oh this was not good, not good at all. “It’s taken me the better part of the last two hundred years, but my plan is finally coming together.”    
  
James was about to ask what plan, but Rose cut him off. “Witches as spies, faeries willingly working for you? ‘M assuming some of the weres and shifters I smelled on the way over are working for you too.” Harold’s amused smile returned. “You’re raising an army! You’re staging a coup? Against humanity?!”   
  
Rose didn’t care that her shout had silenced the bar. She shot to her feet, panic and dread rushing through her. James followed suit, but his arms didn’t come around her. He was moving behind her, a wave of determination rolling over the bond, but she couldn’t look back.    
  
“Humanity had always been our prey. Once, before technology, before industry, they cowered in fear because they knew we were better, that we were superior.” Harold grinned wickedly, as he met her eyes. “You’ll find that many among the races feel it’s time we put them back there, and so we have been infiltrating them slowly, dumbing them down, making them lazy. The majority of British politicians are under my influence, while Alana has been working her skills in the States.”    
  
“Two countries, that isn’t nearly enough-“    
  
“You think she and I are alone?” Harold cut Rose off, and James met Jack’s eyes. Slowly, he raised one finger and then closed it, as he tightened his grip on the silver spray hidden from view by Rose. “Oh no, I’m just in charge. I have hundreds upon hundreds of different species under my control now, addicted to my blood, to Alana’s blood, and in the next year, humanity will be in their rightful place.”    
  
“And what, you expect me to come back to you? To rule beside you?” Rose snorted, but she didn’t miss how the party goers seemed shocked and agitated by the conversation now echoing around the bar. The music had stopped playing. “You’re insane! I don’t want any part of this!”    
  
“That has been my intent from the day I turned you.” Harold stood now, his eyes cold and cruel. That was the man she remembered, the one it had taken her nearly a century to see behind the false words and overwhelming bonds. “I offer you this one chance. Return to me now, and you can keep your pet. Nobody will touch him. He and his family will be spared. Deny me, and I will turn them all myself while you watch!”    
  
No sooner did Harold’s threat burst into the room when A howl split the air, and James moved. He grabbed Rose by her arm, throwing her behind him as he sprayed the silver aerosol at Harold’s open mouth. Then, all hell broke loose. He wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, as roars, screams, and even gunfire created a cacophony in the room.    
  
All he knew is he was moving. Well, not so much moving as being thrown through the air. He hit a table, gasping in pain as glass shattered under him. He must have hit his head, because a lion and a panther leaped over him onto a woman holding a wand. Then Rose was hauling him up, her face clawed, but rapidly healing. “You idiot!” She screamed, but then she was tossed away, and a wolf was lunging at him.    
  
Another wolf met that one, ripping it’s throat out, and James staggered back as scalding blood coated him. Then, Alana had him by the neck, her fangs bared, and before he could even try to strike, he felt her slam her claws into his gut and yank. Somewhere, in the melee, he heard and felt Rose scream in agony. Blood gushed into his mouth, gagging him, suffocating him, and then Alana’s snarl of fury went silent as a wooden point burst from her chest. The last thing James saw was the vampire bursting into ash, and Ianto holding a stake. Then, he fell into freezing oblivion.    
  
Rose staggered to her feet, trying to find James. Their connection was weakening rapidly, and the pain was more excruciating than anything she’d ever felt. She couldn’t tell who was friend and who was foe, as witches, faeries, shifters, and werewolves battled around her. The blood and magic tainted the air, disorienting her senses. She heard wood rushing through the air, and turned, ready to duck the incoming stake. She didn’t have a chance, as a wolf leaped onto the female faery who had aimed it, and Rose was shocked to see it was Miranda.    
  
Diving back into the insanity, Rose tried to find James. She couldn’t see anything except fighting, and she didn’t know who was winning. Hell, she didn’t even know if their side had started it. Did they even have sides? She ripped the tongue out of a warlock who was aiming a fireball at her,  ducking a silver bullet as it whizzed past her and splattered into the chest of one of the vampires Harold had brought.    
  
Then she saw Ianto, crouching in a shimmering bubble, his lips moving nonstop, with one hand on an mangled stomach beside and the other throwing out energy blasts into people. It was James! James was with him! Tears pouring down her cheek, Rose lunged forward, hissing as a silver blade nicked her cheek. She barely felt it, as she ripped the jaw of a tiger that leaped at her off.    
  
Then she felt another pain, not from James, one she’d never imagined feeling before. An agonizing cry filled the air, and Rose’s head whipped to the side in time to see Jack, Gwen, and Rhys piled on Harold.  Jack went flying back, with Harold’s arm clenched in his teeth, blood splattering as it ripped from his body. Then Gwen and Rhys wrenched his other off, and Rose knew she had a decision to make.    
  
“I’ll sustain him, Rose! Hurry!” Ianto’s shout made up her mind, and Rose flew towards her friends, her first true friends, and she scooped up a broken table leg as she went.    
  
Harold was fighting, kicking, and trying to bite, but then Rose saw what James had done. His face was burnt, sizzling silver, and his left fang had fallen out from the direct hit. It was almost pitiful, as Jack dove into the pile and began ripping at his leg, almost. “Rose, don’t!”   
  
“Goodbye, Master!” Without blinking, she slammed the stake into his chest, watching as he seized before exploding. Then, a new type of screaming filled the air.    
  
All around her, those under his glamour, addicted to his blood, went into a frenzy as his control was severed, but Rose only had eyes for two men: her James, and the witch who’s shimmering protective bubble was flickering. “James!” She leapt over the last vestiges of the battle, skidding to her love, as Ianto’s warding finally flickered out of existence. “James! James! Look at me!” She scooped him into her arms, gasping as his heart slugged against his chest. Those loving eyes stayed shut, though, and his breathing was growing ragged.    
  
“The preservation spell won’t last.” Ianto huffed beside her. “You have to decide quickly.”    
  
“Decide?” Rose couldn’t look away from James’ ashen face, as he slumped limply in her arms.    
  
_ If things go badly... _ The memory hit her. James did this. He planned to try to kill Harold tonight. He was willing to risk his life to see her free.  _ I choose eternity with you.  _ __   
  
Almost as if her decision silenced the room, Rose heard and felt the fighting come to an end in groans and sobs. She barely saw Jack scrambling towards them, his face bloody, and his scream of disbelief muted by the dying heart in her arms. Choking back a sob, Rose ripped her wrist open with her teeth and let her life force, the curse she swore she’d never pass on, gush into James’ mouth. Then she neutralized the pleasure giving endorphins from her saliva, and bit into his neck with a growl.    
  
She drank and drank and drank until all she tasted was her own blood, and with a final gasp, James’ heart fluttered a single beat out and went silent. “I’ll get the shovel.” Ianto panted, and Rose cradled James to her chest and carried him through the devastated bar into the night.   
  
  



	21. Chapter 21

James was so hungry. He’d never been so hungry in his life. He was so hungry his gums were aching like they’d been injected with fire. He tried to breathe, but there was none of the familiar relief, just a sort of filling sensation that bombarded him with hundreds of scents. The strongest of them all was dirt, fresh, damp, rich dirt.    
  
Choking on the bits of dirt that trickled into his mouth, making his stomach churn, he started to panic. Through the starving haze he realized he was buried, and his instinct was to claw. He registered there was no sense of suffocation as soon as his wrist pressed through the dirt into the warm air, and then something strong, smooth, and commanding took his hand and pulled.    
  
Up he shot, shoving the dirt aside, as he gasped in the fresh air. Again, there was no relief, no relaxation and urge to exhale. What he did get, however, was the smell of something utterly delicious. He wanted it. He wanted it so badly, and before he even opened his eyes, he lunged for it. “James, stop!” He oofed as his body froze of it’s own accord. “Open your eyes.” His eyelids parted, and his mind spun at the scene around him.    
  
Everything looked odd. Colors were brighter, more contrasted, shining with an intensity he’d never experienced. Blinking, he looked up at the sky, wincing at the silver half sun glaring just above the trees. Except, it wasn’t the sun, because it was the moon, and he was tantalized by that smell again. He wanted it, needed it, not just in his mouth. It was so amazing, so alluring, he felt himself stir in his pants.    
  
“James, love, I know you’re hungry but you need to calm down.” That voice, it was so familiar, so soothing, and it was also so sexy. A face came into focus, covered in dirt, the red dress ripped and ruined as she knelt beside him. The woman wearing it was absolutely stunning, so beautiful, and she smelled absolutely delectable. Her blonde hair was disheveled, covered in mud, and she smiled. “That’s right. You’re okay, James. Come here.” She held her hand out, and her skin glowed enticingly. The luxurious scent came from her, and he wanted it.    
  
“Hungry.” He gasped, taking her hand and lowering his lips to her wrist. The warm, silky skin was heaven against his lips, and his gums tingled, just below his upper lip. “Thirsty.” Sharp points nicked along the inside of his mouth, and her hand went to the back of his head.    
  
“Drink.” At her words, he bit down, moaning at the warm liquid that poured onto his tongue. It was decadent, so sweet, so powerful, and he sucked harder, as it tricked down his throat, easing the gnawing in his stomach, but not satisfying the thirst, that wild, burning thirst. “Yes, mmm yes, drink, love. Just a bit more.” Her voice was husky now, and when he looked up, her lips were parted and fangs sparkled in the moonlight.    
  
She was so beautiful, tasted so delicious, that he wanted her. No, James needed her. His whole body felt electrified, and the strain in his pants grew tighter. With a growl, he pushed her back, cradling her wrist against his mouth as his other hand shoved her dress up. “Enough, not here.” His hand froze, and he blinked as she gently tugged her arm back and pushed him off of her.    
  
“Thirsty, Rose, I’m so thirsty.” Rose, her name was Rose, and he was hers. No, she was his. Everything was confusing, until her fingers stroked his face. Right, they were each others, and he loved her. The wind shifted, and a new scent made him tense. It was so delicious, so sweet, do pure. His tongue tingled, and he turned his face into it. There, beyond a fence, a cracked window. The smell was coming from the window. He wanted it.    
  
“James, stop!” How had he come to perch on the fence, coiled to jump up at that window, where that smell was? Oh it was so intoxicating. Just a taste, that’s all he wanted. He was so hungry, so thirsty. “Come inside love.” Right, Rose tasted delicious. He could drink Rose. She liked that, he’d tasted how much she liked it.    
  
She was in his arms now, her amber eyes sparkling up at him, as she smiled. “Thirsty, please. So thirsty, Rose. Need more. Need you.”    
  
“Inside, now.” Her words stopped his lips at her neck, and he whined at the rejection. “Come on, you’ve got something to drink in there.” Her hand pulled his, up to a door. He knew that door? Didn’t he? Yes. He knew this house, as he stepped inside. He and Rose lived here. Oh, he could smell that sweet, teasing decadence again, from that door. There were stairs behind it, and a bed. Mmm, a bed seemed like a wonderful place to take Rose.    
  
The door opened, and a man blocked his way. He smelled wrong, too hot, too bitter, like a dog. He was a threat! James growled, throwing his arm out to stop his Rose, as the man’s eyes flashed yellow. Wolf, he was a wolf. Wolves were enemies. “James, Jack is a friend. Remember. A friend, your best friend. I know, he smells like a threat, but he’s not.” Rose’s voice was so sweet.    
  
“Jack, yes.” James remembered now. Well, almost. Jack Harkness was his friend. He was a werewolf, and he was a friend. “Sorry, sorry, can’t think. Everything’s so...” he pulled at his hair, but then he smelled it again, so sweet. He wanted it. “Move,” he snapped, grabbing Jack by the shirt and shoving him aside.    
  
There was the bed, and there was the smell. The woman was seated on the sheets, looking so perfect, so sweet, so delicious. Her heart skipped as she looked up from her mobile, eyes going wide in shock as she looked up at him. “Sir are you okay?”    
  
“You smell delicious!” James pounced, his mouth drawn to the thrumming in her neck. The woman screamed, and it drove his thirst more wild.    
  
“Stop James!” He froze on top of the woman, his lips at her neck. “Not so rough. You have to be sweet, gentle with the gift she’s giving you.” He growled in frustration as as her pulse beat against his tongue. Warm fingers stroked his neck, and when he looked, Rose was kneeling beside him. “Watch me, love.” He did, unable to sink his teeth at her command he stop. Rose stroked the woman’s face, shushing her gently, until their eyes met. His Rose glimmered with an entrancing power. “You’re not afraid, sweetheart. James won’t hurt you. Relax, yes, like that. Now, turn your head.” The woman did as Rose asked, exposing more of her neck to his lips. “Now, James, find her pulse and lick, softly, get the rhythm.”    
  
“So thirsty.” His mouth was on fire, but he did as he was told. The woman’s skin was scorching hot, and he felt her heart, heard it, luring him.    
  
“Seriously, Jack, a virgin. I’m so kicking your arse for this.” Rose’s words were confusing, and that wolf was in the room. James wanted to snarl, but he was a friend. Right, not a threat. “Go on, he won’t appreciate an audience when he’s clear headed. I’ll send her up.” Foot steps echoed, the wolf was gone. He was ravenous.    
  
“Now, bite, gently.” James groaned as his teeth sank into the sweet skin, and a flavor almost as overpowering as Rose gushed onto his tongue. “Yes, now drink, but feel her heart. Listen to it, take her just to the edge. When you taste her release, stop.” Finally, he could quench his thirst.    
  
James moaned, as his tastebuds went nuts. The scalding liquid squirting into his mouth, making his stomach relax, his eyes fall shut, and his head spin was intoxicating and invigorating. The pretty woman gave a throaty gasp, shifting under his grasp, and another heady scent filled the air. It wafted into his lungs, permeated the sweet nectar that was bursting into his mouth and down his throat, and it awakened another hunger. He found his free hand trailing along the woman’s body, smirking as the drink he was drowning in began to flow even more eagerly.   
  
“Don’t play with your food.” A slight smack to his hand made James jerk away from his meal, and he hissed at the interruption. Rose hissed right back, meeting his eyes. “And don’t hiss at me with your mouth full!” She pushed at his head. “Drink, James.” He obeyed, moaning again as the woman’s delicious neck was pierced by his teeth.    
  
She was sighing louder now, trembling under him, and James was aching for release. The more his stomach filled, the more he needed relief in other way. His head was spinning, driving him insane. Her pulse began to race, faster, harder, gushing euphoria into his mouth, filling his stomach, and then she arched under him. He wanted to keep drinking, to take it all, but against his will, he released her, whimpering as the red liquid splattered over her face and chest.    
  
Rose was wiping her neck now, and the seeping punctures in the woman’s neck sealed. “Now, sweetheart, you’ll go upstairs and Jack will take you home.” The woman staggered to her feet, and James wanted to chase her. “No, stay James.” He froze halfway to the door, and he turned to Rose. “Come here.”    
  
James blinked as he found himself standing in front of Rose. He wanted her, needed her. She smelled so good, looked so enticing. “I want you.” He growled, and Rose giggled. That was such a delightful sound, her giggle. “You’re beautiful. You smell.... mmmmm I want to taste you again.”    
  
“I know.” Her smile broadened, and James pulled her against him, clawing at her dress. It ripped, revealing her tantalizingly skin to him, so warm, so smooth. “Not yet, James. Wait....” Why did she keep stopping him? It wasn’t fair. He needed her. He was aching, pleading, desperate for release. His thirst was quenched, but his hunger was not. “Kiss me.”    
  
James captured her lips with a growl, yanking her flush against him, groaning as their tongues met in a frantic dance. Her scent surrounded him, burned in his veins, and he grunted in delight as his teeth nicked her lip, and more of her deliciousness dripped into his mouth. It lit up his mind, as images of her below him, above him, face awash in ecstasy.   
“Please, Rose. I need you.”    
  
“Take me, James!” He didn’t need to be told twice. Growling possessively, he shoved her against the wall, his eyes dragging over her body, and he ripped his pants off, smirking as her gaze dropped down. “Now!” Rose pulled him close, her lips so soft, so warm, so delicious. James seized her hips, lifting her up, and pulled her down onto him with a shout.    
  
It was bliss, but it wasn’t enough. More, he needed more, and her shouts, her cries of pleasure as he dug his fingers in with each thrust, surrounding him with her wet, velvet warmth, had his gums aching again. Electric euphoria shot through him, as she sucked at his neck, and with a desperate snarl, he bit into her shoulder. This! This is what he needed. His pleasure amplified, as hers spilled into his mouth, and also filled his chest with a core deep sensation he knew wasn’t his own.    
  
This wall wasn’t suitable, he needed to touch her. With a frantic, possessive thrust he had her on the dresser, not caring as the glass shattered behind her shoulders and bottles clattered to the floor. This position was amazing, and he could touch her breasts, feel them in his hands, make her keen so loudly it drowned his thoughts out. Somehow, he was on his back now, Rose staring down at him, riding him, hard, fast. Her nails digging into his chest.    
  
“No.” James snarled, grabbing her hair, pinning her over the bed, as he slammed back into her from behind. He bit down on her shoulder again. This, yes, this was perfect. Except, Rose turned under him, yanking his lips down to her breast, as her fangs punctured his other shoulder. He could taste something new in her, like what the woman had, except stronger, wilder, far more powerful. He chased it, frantic to lose himself in it, needing it more than his hunger.    
  
Rose shouted his name, her nails dragging down his back, and the sound of ripping material filled the air. They cut his skin with delicious stings, and she exploded under him, tightening around him, until he couldn’t focus, couldn’t think. He felt the familiar sensation of tightening, of release crashing closer, and she sucked harder as he did to her. The coil snapped, forcing him to rip his lips and fangs away, crying out at the intensity, feeling his completion barrel through him win an intensity he’d never imagined, and he held himself inside of her, holding her mesmerizing gaze as he filled her.    
  
Rose smiled up at him, stroking his back, licking the red liquid smeared on her chin and lips. “Shhhh, love. Relax...” some part of his mind registered he should be panting, be sweating, have a pounding heart, but he didn’t. James held himself over here, as satisfaction filled his veins, and the tingling in his gums faded. Rose’s fangs disappeared with a schnick, and he licked his. He had fangs? Since when, but then they were gone. “Your eyes are clearing. Good, good, just relax, don’t try to focus.”    
  
James slid from her with a huff, as he registered the red and brown smudges across her body and the sheets, vaguely becoming aware he was in tattered, stained clothes. The red was blood, right? Yes, blood. Rose drank blood. Rose was a vampire. Vampires had fangs. He had fangs. The world sounded weird. “My ears feel funny.”   
  
“I said the same thing when I woke up the first time.” Rose giggled under him. “Come on. Let’s get you showered off and see if that helps.”    
  
“My chest feels odd.” James was torn between examining his body and why it was weird or giving into the way Rose’s perky rear looked when she crawled off the bed and sashayed to the ensuite. Both, he could do both. “Whoa, how did I?” He looked back where he had been kneeling milliseconds before, having almost crashed into Rose. “This is so... weird.”    
  
James blinked at the man in the mirror, with the bloody, muddy face, piercing red eyes that were slowly turning brown, and ripped, blood dress caked shirt. He touched his face, and so did the man. He pulled his ear, and so did the man. He hissed, fangs dropping, and so did the man. The man was him. The man was vampire. “I’m a vampire.”    
  
“Um, yes.” Rose took his hand, trying to pull him from the mirror. “Although, I wasn’t sure I’d gotten you in ground quick enough.”    
  
“Why is my shirt all... bloody...” James squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember. There was a face, a woman, she’d been so angry, ripped him, broken him. He had been so cold, so so cold, and scared. Why? Why was he scared? Rose, was in danger. His family was in danger. The Master, no Harold. There was a fight. Alana had ripped his stomach open. “Oh, god.” He stumbled back, yanking his shirt up, staring down at the healed skin, so smooth and new.    
  
“Shhhh,” Rose had the shower on, and she beckoned him with a finger. “If you wash off, it’ll clear your mind. I’m here, James. I’m safe. We’re safe. Harold is dead.”    
  
“Dead?” James whipped around, as he tossed his shirt aside to stare at Rose. She was under the water, as it cascaded over her skin, cleaning her. She nodded, again beckoning him with his hand. “And I died?” She nodded again, as he slipped his fingers into hers and stepped under the hot water. “And you turned me?”    
  
“You wanted me to, remember?” Rose looked hesitant, and James felt a stab of trepidation and guilt. Except it wasn’t his emotion. It was Rose. “James, you said you wanted this. Are you angry?”    
  
“No, nononono.” Slowly he was remembering, remembering it all. They flashed through his mind at light speed, but in perfect recognition. “I wanted your forever, and I still do.”    
  
“Oh, thank the stars.” Rose sobbed, and he caught her when she threw her arms around his neck. “I was so scared.” She squeezed him tighter, and he nuzzled her hair back with a soft kiss. “I was so scared I’d waited too long, but... James.”    
  
“You saved me.” He stroked her back, reveling in how the contact made his whole being thrum. Rose was his love, and that love had saved them both.


	22. Chapter 22

“How come I automatically do whatever you say?” James was currently perched on the rail of the stairs like a gargoyle, and Rose had to suppress a giggle. He was taking this a bit more in stride than she had upon awakening to find herself changed. Actually, he was taking it a lot better. He’d been vampire for two hours, and was already having a blast zipping through the house and balancing in precarious positions. “Like when I was feeding, before, you told me to stop when she well...” his voice trailed off and Rose snorted when his fangs flicked down and he slapped a hand over his mouth. “Sorry, sorry.”   
  
“It’s fine.” She shook her head, as a wave of arousal and thirst trickled over to her from him. “It’s hard to separate feeding from sex in the beginning. You’ll learn.”    
  
“God, it’s like puberty all over again.” He groaned, lowering his hands back to the rail and sighing. “Except instead of random stiffies, my fangs drop too.” Those dazzling chocolate eyes met his again, stunning her with the raw power that glowed out of them. “But, like I was saying. You’d told me before hand to stop, and I did, but I didn’t want to. Why?”    
  
“I’m your maker. What I say is law, end of story.” Rose hated having to use that power over him, but it was crucial, for his own good. “When you’re more experienced, more in control, I can release you, and you won’t have to obey any new commands.”    
  
“But the old ones stay?” James cocked his head, before leaping off of the rail and zooming around the room. “I just want to run. I want... I want...” his eyes flicked to the window, zeroing in on the cracked window of their neighbor’s daughter’s home. “Nnnnnngh I can smell them. How do you do it? How do you just sit there and-“ in a flash she saw so clearly, he was perched on the coffee table. “Just a taste?”    
  
“No! Besides, you’d have to be invited in.” Rose rolled her eyes and his put out expression. “The first few weeks are going to be hard.” James’ eyes dragged over her strappy top and he hummed as he reached one hand out to stroke her chest. “Literally and figuratively. Now, until you can control your lust!” She batted his hand away, needing him to focus. “Both kinds, we have to establish some rules.”    
  
“Rooooose.” James’ pout was all too adorable, but it wasn’t going to work. “I want to touch you.”    
  
“Rules first, then we can wreck more of the house.” She giggled, thinking back on the shattered mirror and cracked dresser. James had been properly contrite about it, whizzing around the room to tidy it up while she changed the sheets. “Rule one, you don’t go outside without me or someone from Jack’s pack until I say.” He rolled his eyes, but stayed in his spot, obviously listening. “Rule two, no draining your victims.” His mouth opened in obvious protest that he would never, but Rose knew how easy it was to get lost in the moment, how simple it was to take too much without realizing it. “Rule three, you are not to have sex with anybody else but me.”    
  
“I would never. I love you.” Rose cocked an eyebrow, as he looked down at his hands. If she hadn’t stopped him with that girl, or even with her in the garden, his base urges would have taken control. “Okay, okay.”    
  
“Rule four, you don’t pick out any meals unless I’m there, until you master glamouring.” The focus required to do such a thing was hard in the early months, because everything was so new, so fresh, so distracting. “That’s it for now.”    
  
“Seems easy enough to obey.” James rolled his shoulders before jumping to the cushion next to her and pushing her back with a smile. She laid back, returning his grin as he trailed one finger across her neck. “I’m having difficulty thinking about anything but you, mmm, you and food. I’m still hungry.”    
  
“We can’t leave yet. Jack is still sweeping the city with the pack.” Rose sighed, as James danced his fingers along her skin. Oh she wanted him too, so much so, but she couldn’t risk feeding into his wild urges too much. “They aren’t sure who is still sympathetic to Harold’s cause.”   
  
“Did he really think he could stage a coup against humanity?” James’ snorted, as he contemplated the radiant beauty beneath him. “There’s six billion people, and they’ve got weapons that I’m sure even we couldn’t survive.” He was proud that he was being clear headed, although the urge to rip her shirt to shreds and sink his fangs into her skin was overwhelming.    
  
He also wanted to run. His whole body was burning with energy, making it hard to keep still. James was surprised at the amount of effort it talk to move at what would be considered normal human speed. Rose had assured him once his body adjusted to the change, it would come easier. Luckily, his mind seemed capable of working on multiple tangents. One was focused on how warm and silky her skin was, another was acutely aware of the teen neighbor girl home alone,  others were off on various trains from how long it was until dawn and how easy it would be to climb Mount Everest now. With his speed, he could probably scale it in a matter of hours.    
  
“Well, nuclear bombs definitely kill us. We know that, but if he had major world leaders under his influence.” Rose made an irritated noise. “But I called some contacts I have in the states, others like us who try to blend into society. They’ll be looking into it in their areas.”    
  
“So you think there may be an all out war?” James took her hand, bringing it up to kiss it softly before lowering himself over her. “Or do you think he didn’t have that kind of power?”    
  
“I think those who don’t want it outnumber those who do.” Rose’s nails dragged up his bare back, making him shiver in delight. Just her touch made his whole body spark with energy. Also, he could now feel her emotions, and she was starting to simmer with arousal. “Most of the ‘supes’ have interbred with humans, so they have families they would be fighting for. If there’s a war, it’ll be over before human militaries get involved.”    
  
“Speaking of humans, couldn’t I at least tell my sister?” James knew Donna wouldn’t be questioning his lack of calls. She and her husband Lee were reviewers for a traveling company. They’d been heading to Bora Bora last week. “She’s my only living relative now.”    
  
“We may have to, just in case.” Rose knew what it was like to never see her family again. She’d often wished she could tell her mum and brother goodbye, but back then, it would have made them subject to hunters as bait. Harold had forbidden contact. James’ touches were becoming more determined, and they made her groan as he nuzzled her neck. “Do you want me to warm up some more of the blood Ianto left for you?”    
  
“Not thirsty, really, just you smell delicious.” James breathed in her wild scent. It didn’t spark his lust for the hunt, as Rose had called it, but it did make him want a taste. He licked her skin softly. “Why is that? Why is your blood as irresistible as human blood?”    
  
“Because I’m your maker, and believe me, yours smells just as wonderful.” Her nose grazed along his jaw. “Feeding off of each other won’t sustain us, but it does strengthen our bond.” Rose nipped playfully at his ears, as her mind wandered down a path she hadn’t considered in a few decades. “Want to feel something really amazing?”    
  
“Oh yes.” James rocked down against her center, but then yelped as he was suddenly the one on his back on the floor, with Rose grinning wickedly down at him. “What are you doing?” She didn’t answer, simply yanked down the loose sweat pants he’d pulled on. Instantly, he surged from half hard to eager attention, and he felt his fangs snap down simultaneously.    
  
“You thought this felt amazing as a human, but just wait.” Rose giggled, taking James’ hard length in hand and licked him from base to tip. Then, before he could react, she took him in her mouth and let one fang pierce a vein halfway down. His groan and gasp as she sucked made her preen. The pleasure surged across the bond, as she swallowed his wild flavour and took him farther in to repeat it.    
  
“Holy... come here.” James’ mind had gone blank at the sensation of her feeding and physically pleasuring him. He grabbed her hips, spinning her around as he ripped her pants off of her and yanked her down to his lips. He wondered if she would enjoy it too, and to his delight, she mewled around hum as he sucked that sensitive bud between his lips and let his fangs pierced her skin.    
  
“Yes! That’s perfect!” Rose mewled before returning to her feast. It was intoxicating, being with him like this. She had always kept herself in check, when he was human, afraid to go to far, to hurt him, but now, he could take it, could handle her power, and James could give it back too. She moaned at the taste of him, laving her tongue against him hard, shuddering as his fangs and tongue shot pleasure through her.    
  
James’ entire body was fueled by Rose’s touch, her taste in his mouth. He curled his arms around her hips, pulling her down more firmly to his mouth, as he thrust into her lips. He could feel how intense this was for her through their bond, and it only served to fuel his own pleasure. With each suck, each flick of his tongue, she was making the most delicious noises, and the skills of her talented mouth combined with the euphoric sensation her bite brought had him just as close.    
  
Rose could feel how rapidly James’ completion was coming on. Before, when he was human, she couldn’t stomach his release, but now, she was eager for it. As her own climax rushed towards her, she took him to the hilt, letting her fangs sink in to the skin just below the base, and she began to drink, swallowing, moaning, grinding down onto his tongue.    
  
James’ legs jerked at the surprising but intense sensation of being fully sheathed in Rose’s mouth and throat. Combined with her blood and her arousal coating his tongue, he couldn’t hold back. He felt Rose snap, bucking down into him, as her nails bit into his thigh and her groans and cries vibrated around him, mingling with the nonstop sucking swallows, and he exploded. Rose didn’t release him like before, and he cried into her folds as he emptied himself against the back of her throat, each swallow coaxing more, more, until his head was spinning and he had to reach down and pull her away by her hair. “That, was, nnngh.” He kissed the inside of her thigh, nipping gently at the supple skin.    
  
“Oh, honey, that was just a taste.” Rose spun, straddling his hip as she shivered from her aftershocks of release. She giggled at the mess he’d made of his face and shirt, before leaning forward to gently lick the remnants of herself from his skin. “When we know its safe, I’ll take you somewhere remote, like mountains or a forest. Where we don’t have to worry about being heard or breaking things.” She snickered as she felt him beginning to stir again. “‘S hard, isn’t it, not caving in to the desire to throw me against the wall and have me over and over until dawn.”    
  
“Does it fade? That urge.” James fought against the seduction in her voice. He couldn’t seem to stay satisfied, his thirst, his hunger for release. She laughed softly, shaking her head, as she plunged her hand into his hair and pulled. “How do I function then, if it doesn’t fade?”    
  
“Control, you learn to control it, to only give in when appropriate.” James was shaking under her, and she could feel the strain he was putting in to not rolling her over. “Now you know how I felt living with you, why I always wanted this before you went to bed or just before dawn.”    
  
“I understand now, and fuck, do you smell that?” James jerked to the back door, breathing in the tantalizing smell of human blood. There were two hearts, two male voices. “Rose.” He whispered, as their words made him tense.    
  
“She said she was alone. Stop worrying, it’ll be easy.” Rose froze at the sound of footsteps crossing their back yard, and she dashed to James, turning off the back hall light to crack the door. There were two men, mid twenties, climbing the fence to the neighbor’s yard. “Said her parents were out til morning.”    
  
“You’re sure that’s her address? What if it’s one of those police set ups?” The second man whispered, and James met her gaze, looking murderous. “What if she calls when she realizes we ain’t sixteen?”    
  
“She knows we ain’t sixteen. Why else would a fifteen year old be sending pics like that, mate? I checked three days ago, she isn’t working for the cops, now, shut up.” James wanted to rush out the door, but Rose’s command he stay inside was barring him. She was growling beside him, her eyes flashing, fangs glistening. “She said come in the back door. ‘S that it there?”    
  
“Text her ‘nd tell her we’re here.”    
  
“Don’t kill, just grab them.” Rose spoke to James, overriding her edict he stay indoors, and in a flash she cleared rhe fence, landing on one of the men as James pinned the other one, slapping her hand over her captive’s mouth as he did the same. “Back to the house.” It was less than four seconds and they had the men sprawled on the floor looking dazed.    
  
“What the-“ James slammed his hand back over the smaller man’s mouth, snarling at him as he struggled. Rose was already at work on hers, pouring her glamour into his eyes.    
  
“What were you planning to do with Lissi?” Rose growled at the man she was sitting on, watching as her influence made him stop struggling.    
  
“Get her high and drunk and mess around with her.”    
  
James had to resist with all his power not to snap their necks, as Rose met his eyes. “Go on, try to glamour him. Hold his gaze, empty your mind of anything but what you want to hear from him, in this case, the truth.”    
  
He tried hard to clear the jumble of his thoughts, until nothing existed but the disgusting man beneath him and the urge to know what he was, what he had done. The man began to grow weak, until he stilled into complete relaxation. “Is Lissi the first underage girl you’ve targeted?”    
  
“No, she’s the tenth. They’re so gullible, so trusting.” The man’s voice was almost proud of his actions, and James hated it. “It’s only Kevin’s third. Usually, he chickens out, afraid it’s a set up.”    
  
“Oh, well you really picked the wrong girl this time.” Rose snarled. She liked Lissi. The girl was sweet, always quick with a wave and a kind word. She’d watched her grow up, even bought her a gift or two when her parents threw night time birthday parties. James had even given her a lift to school a couple of mornings when it had been raining. “See, we don’t take kindly to people who want to hurt the innocent.” She looked over at James, who was licking his lips and staring down at the man beneath him with unconcealed rage. An idea sprung to mind, and she chuckled. “James, love?”    
  
“What?” James looked up at her, struggling against her prior command not to kill, because it would be so easy to snap their necks. Rose was grinning at him wickedly, as if she’d just had the most amazing solution.    
  
“Glamour him again, into not liking your bite. You can’t control the hormones that make it pleasurable yet. Just tell him he won’t enjoy it, he won’t get any relief, and then you may feed, but don’t kill him.” Rose met her captive man’s eyes as James began growling out his commands next to her. “You are not to scream. You will not struggle. You will lie here and feel the pain your victims felt.” Then, nullifying her pleasure inducing hormones, she bit into his neck, growling as she could taste his fear, his pain, as she took him just to the edge of too much. He needed to be able to walk or drive, for the second part of her plan.    
  
James found a certain sense of justice as he gave the same commands Rose did to his own captive. The panic and fear filled the blood, changing it from the sweet taste of pleasure to a spicy wild flavor that made him want to release the man and chase him. Still, He shoved that urge aside, growling as his order not to kill forced his mouth back, and the men both lay stock still on the floor. “Now what?”    
  
“Both of you, you disgusting pigs.” Rose snapped, drawing their gazes, looking between them as she poured her influence over them. “You will drive or walk, depending on how you came to see Lissi, to the nearest police station. Then you will turn yourself in, and you will confess the names of every victim. Do you understand.”    
  
“Yes ma’am.”    
  
James snickered, a bit proud of how Rose had decided not to take full justice into their hands. Sending them off to confess was a better solution. He moved off the man he held down, watching as they stumbled from the house. A wild idea was emerging in him. “I know how I’ll get my meals.”    
  
“Oh, how so?” Rose wiped her lip, as she moved to the shut the door and lock it. James was beaming ear to ear, looking very proud of himself.    
  
“I’ll go after criminals, like them. I’ll feed, then simply order them to turn themselves in.” He watched as Rose’s face broke into a grin, and he knew it was a choice she was proud of.    
  
“See, that’s how you start taking control of your urges.” Rose smacked her lips and sniffed at the nauseating smell of cheap cigarettes and drugs the men had left on her skin. “Join me for a bath?” She didn’t even get a response, as James threw her over his shoulder and rushed down the stairs.


End file.
